Influence of inductive chemoradiotherapy on salivary polymorphonuclear leukocyte (SPMN) functions in oral cancer

Salivary polymorphonuclear leukocyte (SPMN) functions were examined in 18 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and in 20 healthy individuals. SPMN obtained from patients before therapy exhibited significantly less FMLP-stimulated chemotactic activity (132.4 +/- 17.5 cells/0.26 mm2) than that in SPMN from controls (177.1 +/- 11.6 cells/0.26 mm2), although no difference in phagocytosis was observed. When stimulated with PMA or FMLP, control SPMN generated superoxide (O2-) at levels of 50.3 +/- 10.5 pmol/min/10(4) cells and 88.4 +/- 15.4 pmol, respectively, while SPMN from untreated patients generated significantly reduced O2- in the presence of PMA or FMLP (24.3 +/- 3.5 pmol and 59.5 +/- 9.8 pmol, respectively). Only slightly lower chemiluminescence was observed in SPMN from untreated patients however, compared to controls, values being 68.0 +/- 18.9 vs 81.3 +/- 14.9 peak mV by PMA and 62.4 +/- 13.7 vs 64.4 +/- 12.9 peak mV by FMLP. Compared to Candida killing in control subjects (24.9 +/- 3.1%). SPMN from patients before treatment exhibited significantly reduced activity (18.7 +/- 4.9%). Further suppression of the SPMN functions examined was observed after chemoradio-therapy. Suppressed SPMN function in cancer patients, especially that associated with chemoradiotherapy, may therefore play a part in oral candidiasis.