Lymphocyte subset distribution after radiation therapy for cancer of the uterine cervix. Possible prognostic implications and correlation with disease course.

An analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations was done in patients with cancer of the uterine cervix before and at different intervals after the commencement of radiation therapy. A common feature was a duration of T-cell and B-cell lymphopenia after therapy. The findings relating to the T-cell subsets were interesting. Although the CD4/CD8 ratio remained unchanged in Stages I/IIA for 24 months after treatment, patients with Stages IIB and III showed a lowering of the ratio immediately after treatment. Distinctive patterns of lymphocyte subset distribution were seen in a comparison between patients who were disease-free and those with recurrent disease. The CD4+ cell counts and CD4/CD8 ratio differed between the two groups, with consistent lowered values during the follow-up associated with recurrent disease. This study demonstrates the effects of radiation therapy in altering lymphocyte subset distribution, resulting in characteristic patterns which could be used as clinical and prognostic indicators.