Analysis of the immunologic function in patients with gastric cancer

Objective: To explore the association of T-lymphocyte subsets and serum IL-12/sIL-2R levels with the clinicopathological factors in patients with gastric cancer.Methods: T-lymphocyte subsets and serum IL-12/sIL-2R levels in 80 patients with gastric cancer and 30 healthy controls were detected by immunofluorescence and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results: The CD3⁺ T cells,CD4⁺ T cells and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio in the blood samples from the gastric cancer group were obviously lower than those from the control group(P<0.01);the IL-12 level in patients with gastric cancer was lower and the IL-2R level higher compared to that in the control(P<0.05).This changes were related to the tumor depth but not the histological types or the cell differentiation of the tumor.There was a significant correlation between serum IL-12/sIL-2R levels and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio(P<0.05).Conclusions: The T-lymphocyte subsets and serum IL-12/sIL-2R levels can be used as an important immunology index of the genesis,development and metastasis of the gastric cancer.