Intratumoural and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma undergoing interleukin-2 based immunotherapy: association to objective response and survival
2002

Lymphocyte Subsets in Renal Cell Carcinoma Immunotherapy

Sample size: 26 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Donskov F, Bennedsgaard K M, von der Maase H, Marcussen N, Fisker R, Jensen J J, Naredi P, Hokland M

Primary Institution: Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark

Hypothesis

The study aims to analyze lymphocyte subsets in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma undergoing interleukin-2 based immunotherapy and correlate these findings with objective response and survival.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence that specific lymphocyte subsets in tumor tissue are associated with better responses to interleukin-2 based immunotherapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Supporting Evidence

  • After 2 weeks of treatment, a significant positive correlation between absolute number of peripheral blood lymphocytes and objective response was demonstrated.
  • A significant positive correlation between intratumoral CD4, CD8, and CD57 and objective response was demonstrated.
  • Median survival was 12.5 months for the patients in the study.

Takeaway

This study looked at blood and tumor samples from patients with kidney cancer to see how certain immune cells relate to treatment success. It found that more immune cells in the tumor can mean better treatment results.

Methodology

The study analyzed lymphocyte subsets in blood samples and tumor biopsies from patients undergoing immunotherapy, using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the small number of patients and the exclusion of some patients from analysis.

Limitations

The study had a small sample size and results need confirmation in larger studies.

Participant Demographics

Patients had metastatic renal cell carcinoma, primarily clear cell carcinoma.

Statistical Information

P-Value

P=0.028, P=0.017, P=0.041, P=0.027, P=0.028, P=0.007, P=0.026, P=0.015, P=0.009, P=0.047, P=0.035, P=0.049

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6600437

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