Peripheral blood immune markers in breast cancer: Differences in regulatory T cell abundance are related to clinical parameters

BACKGROUND: Cancer development is among other factors driven by tumor immune escape and tumor-mediated changes in the immune response. Investigating systemic immune changes may provide important knowledge for the improvement of patient prognosis and treatment opportunities.

METHODS: The systemic immune profile of patients with ER-positive breast cancer (n = 22) and healthy controls (n = 30) was investigated based on complete blood counts, flow cytometric analysis of T cell subsets including regulatory T cells (Tregs), and immune assays investigating soluble (s)HLA-G and the cytokine profile in plasma. We further examined the correlation between the immune markers and clinical parameters including tumor size, tumor grade and lymph node involvement.

RESULTS: Results indicated that breast cancer patients possessed a higher amount of neutrophils and monocytes and fewer lymphocytes and eosinophils compared with healthy controls. Breast cancer patients had significantly more CD25+CD127low Tregs than controls, and both lymphocyte and Treg numbers were negatively correlated with tumor size. Furthermore, Treg numbers were elevated in grade I tumors compared with grade II tumors and with healthy controls. No difference in sHLA-G levels was observed between patients and controls. Higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were observed in breast cancer patients. Cytokine and sHLA-G levels were not associated with clinical parameters.

CONCLUSION: The results of this exploratory study contribute to the elucidation of the systemic immune response in breast cancer indicating a potential use of peripheral immune cell counts and Tregs to distinguish patients from healthy controls and as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to be investigated in future studies.