Lymphocyte subsets in patients with ovarian and breast cancer

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with ovarian or breast cancer or benign lesions of the breast, respectively, have been analysed for expression of phenotypic and activation markers by flow cytometry. The results were compared with those of a control group of healthy women. The relative proportion as well as the absolute counts of B lymphocytes were similar in both groups and in the control group. The absolute number of T cells was decreased in breast cancer patients (p < 0.05). The CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly depressed in ovarian cancer patients (p < 0.05), but not in breast cancer patients. In the ovarian cancer group, the percentage of CD3+ T cells expressing HLA-DR (p < 0.05) as well as CD3+ T cells expressing CD16 and CD56 (p < 0.05) was significantly higher. The relative proportion as well as the absolute counts of CD3+ T cells expressing the IL-2 receptor (CD25) were significantly higher (p < 0.001), respectively, in breast cancer patients (p < 0.05). These results suggest that gynaecological cancer is associated with specific alterations in the T cell population.