Preoperative sorting of circulating T lymphocytes in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Its prognostic significance

AIM: To elucidate the immunologic parameters for the outcome of patients with malignant tumors, especially esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) associated with high malignant potential. METHODS: Clinicopathologic features were compared between patients with lower and higher CD4 and CD8 values as well as CD4/CD8 ratio in peripheral blood. RESULTS: The survival rate of patients with higher CD4 value was significantly better than that in patients with lower CD4 value (P = 0.039). The survival rate of patients with higher CD8 value was significantly worse than that of patients with lower CD8 value (P = 0.026). Similarly, the survival rate of patients with higher CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly better than that of patients with lower CD4/CD8 ratio (P = 0.042). Additionally, multivariate analysis demonstrated that lower CD8 and lower CD4/CD8 ratio were factors independently associated with worse prognosis of patients. CONCLUSION: All the immunologic parameters can predict the outcome of patients with ESCC. (C) 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.