Blood lymphocyte subpopulations in breast cancer patients following radiotherapy

Both T and non-T lymphocytes decreased immediately following radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. The relative depletion of non-T lymphocytes, however, was more marked than that of T cells. 3 years later the number and the proportion of non-T lymphocytes was higher than immediately after radiotherapy, while T lymphocytes were still depressed. The proportion of cells with membrane-associated Ig was higher in patients 3 years following radiotherapy than in non-treated patients and healthy controls. There was no difference in the proportion of T and non-T lymphocytes between patients with and without metastases, respectively.