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Effect of hypercalcemia on immune system in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Jinliang Chen1, Xinyue Wang2, Li Lin1
1Tianjin Medical University, Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, State Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China.
Introduction:
The role of calcium is vital for many systems, however the effect of serum calcium on immune system remains unclear.
Methods:
In this study, the levels of 14 cytokines and percentage distribution of lymphocytes in peripheral blood were measured in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the level of serum calcium values (normocalcemia 2.10-2.60 mmol/L; hypercalcemia >2.60 mmol/L).
Results:
Compared with patients with normocalcemia, statistically significantly higher levels of certain cytokines were observed in those with hypercalcemia. However, as for percentage distribution of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, no significant difference was found between the two groups.
Conclusion:
It suggested that elevated serum calcium which induced by cancer cells may contribute to the formation of an impressive microenvironment partially through increasing certain cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 A, IL-17F, and TNF-β. These effects of hypercalcemia on the immune system may merit increased attention in the current era because of the remarkable advancement of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
