Immune Cells Predict Treatment Success in Certain Cancers

Levels of a specific immune cell are higher in head and neck cancer patients whose tumors are linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). Levels of these cells predict which tumors are most likely to respond to chemotherapy and radiation and allow doctors to choose the best treatment option up front.

Scientists looked at 66 patients with oropharyngeal cancer, which includes cancers of the tonsils and the tongue base. They measured levels of several immune system cells in the blood and tracked HPV status.

The HPV-positive patients had higher levels of a subset of T-lymphocyte cells, a type of immune cell that is responsible for killing tumor cells. Patients who responded to an initial round of chemotherapy also had higher levels of these cells, while patients whose cancer recurred had lower levels.

The study was performed by scientists at the University of Michigan (U-M) Comprehensive Cancer Center (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) and was presented at the American Head and Neck Society annual meeting, April 28-29, 2010, Las Vegas (CA, USA).

"Now with patients who have HPV-positive cancers, this study suggests we can look in the microscope, measure the level of these immune cells and, based on that, select a treatment that is going to be potentially less toxic for the patient and most effective at curing the cancer," said study author Gregory T. Wolf, M.D., professor and chair emeritus of otolaryngology at the University of Michigan Medical School (Ann Arbor, MI, USA).

The scientists suggested that the new findings could help them devise strategies to boost the immune system of HPV-negative patients and improve the success rate of current therapies.

Related Links:
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Michigan Medical School