Marcelin Homian N'da, Dasse Romuald S, Yeboah Richard O, Tariam Agnès D, Kagambega Arsène G Z, Oseni Akandji M, Kouassi Y K K, Bilé Michel A, Toure Moctar, Thakar Monica, Adoubi Innocent, Kizub Darya
Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Treichville, 7XVV+5P4, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Department of Immunology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Cocody, BP V 3, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Ecancermedicalscience. 2023 Jul 3;17:1567. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2023.1567. eCollection 2023.
Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in cancer immunosurveillance and hold promise as both therapies and prognostic markers in advanced disease. We explore factors that may influence NK cell concentration in the peripheral blood of women with breast cancer in Côte d'Ivoire compared to healthy controls and implications for future research in our context.
In this cross-sectional case-control study, blood samples were taken from 30 women diagnosed with breast cancer within 6 months of diagnosis and fifteen healthy women at University Teaching Hospital [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU)] Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from March to September 2018. The blood draw could take place at any time following diagnosis and through treatment. Demographic and clinical data were collected. NK cells were isolated, stained, analysed and counted using the flow cytometer at the Department of Immunology at CHU of Cocody. All p-values were two-sided.
Mean age among 30 women with breast cancer was 49 years old compared to 45 years old for 15 controls ( = 0.41). Among 30 women with breast cancer, 4 (13.3%) had Stage 2 disease, 14 (46.7 %) at Stage 3, and 12 (40%) at Stage 4. Fourteen (46.7%) had breast cancer that was hormone receptor-positive (HR+) HER2-negative, 10 (33.3%) had triple-negative cancer, three (10.0%) had HR+HER2+ disease, and three (10.0%) HR-HER2+ cancer. NK cell concentration was not associated with cancer diagnosis, age, cancer stage, subtype, or type of treatment patients received ( > 0.05).
Although we did not find an association between NK cell concentration, cancer characteristics or treatment, our results be limited by the small sample size and timing of blood draw. Our next steps include a larger study to explore circulating NK cells prior to any treatment and NK cell infiltration within breast cancer tumour and correlating this with response to treatment and prognosis.
自然杀伤（NK）细胞在癌症免疫监视中发挥关键作用，有望成为晚期疾病的治疗方法和预后标志物。我们探讨了与健康对照相比，可能影响科特迪瓦乳腺癌女性外周血中NK细胞浓度的因素，以及在我们的背景下对未来研究的意义。
在这项横断面病例对照研究中，于2018年3月至9月在科特迪瓦阿比让的大学教学医院[中心医院（CHU）]特雷奇维尔，从30名在诊断后6个月内被诊断为乳腺癌的女性和15名健康女性中采集血样。采血可在诊断后及整个治疗过程中的任何时间进行。收集人口统计学和临床数据。在科科迪CHU免疫学系使用流式细胞仪分离、染色、分析和计数NK细胞。所有p值均为双侧。
30名乳腺癌女性的平均年龄为49岁，而15名对照的平均年龄为45岁（p = 0.41）。在30名乳腺癌女性中，4例（13.3%）为2期疾病，14例（46.7%）为3期，12例（40%）为4期。14例（46.7%）患有激素受体阳性（HR+）HER2阴性乳腺癌，10例（33.3%）患有三阴性癌，3例（10.0%）患有HR+HER2+疾病，3例（10.0%）患有HR-HER2+癌。NK细胞浓度与癌症诊断、年龄、癌症分期、亚型或患者接受的治疗类型无关（p>0.05）。
尽管我们未发现NK细胞浓度与癌症特征或治疗之间存在关联，但我们的结果受样本量小和采血时间的限制。我们的下一步计划包括进行一项更大规模的研究，以在任何治疗之前探索循环NK细胞以及乳腺癌肿瘤内的NK细胞浸润情况，并将其与治疗反应和预后相关联。
