Alterations of the lymphocytic set-up in elderly patients with cancer

Motta, M.; Ferlito, L.; Malaguarnera, L.; Vinci, E.; Bosco, S.; Maugeri, D.; Malaguarnera, M.

« Previous Next »Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Volume 36, Issue 1 , Pages 7-14, January 2003

Alterations of the lymphocytic set-up in elderly patients with cancer

M. Motta
- Department of Longevity Sciences, Urology and Neurology, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 829, I-95124 Catania, Italy
L. Ferlito
- Department of Longevity Sciences, Urology and Neurology, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 829, I-95124 Catania, Italy
L. Malaguarnera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 83, I-95100 Catania, Italy
E. Vinci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 83, I-95100 Catania, Italy
S. Bosco
- Department of Longevity Sciences, Urology and Neurology, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 829, I-95124 Catania, Italy
D. Maugeri
- Department of Longevity Sciences, Urology and Neurology, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 829, I-95124 Catania, Italy
M. Malaguarnera
- Department of Longevity Sciences, Urology and Neurology, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 829, I-95124 Catania, Italy
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-095-726-2008; fax: +39-095-498-811/726-2011

Received 17 January 2002; received in revised form 26 May 2002; accepted 29 May 2002.

Abstract

It is assumed that the increased incidence of neoplastic pathologies with advancing age is correlated with the immunosenescence and with the altered immune-surveillance. The present study was aimed at evaluating the role of the immunocompetent system and immunosenescence in carcinogenesis. A pool of 99 subjects (38 females, 61 males) has been analyzed in three groups as follows. Group A: 51 elderly subjects with cancer (16 females and 35 males, average age 73.7±7.5 years). Group B: 24 young subjects with cancer (12 females, 12 males, average age 49.5±10.3 years). Group C: 24 elderly subjects without any clinical evidence of cancer (10 females, 14 males, average age 74.6±6.3 years). Hemo-chromocytometric analysis and cytofluorimetric typifying have been performed in all subjects. A decrease of T (CD3⁺)-lymphocytes has been observed in group A, if compared to group B (P<0.007), and to group C (P<0.01), The T (CD4⁺)-lymphocytes were fewer in group A, than in group C (P<0.004), and also the NK cells showed the same trend (P<0.002). The numbers of leukocytes and monocytes increased in group A compared to group C (P<0.01 and P<0.004, respectively). Red cell numbers, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were lower in group A than in group B (P<0.03, P<0.03, P<0.01, respectively), and also than in group C (P<0.007, P<0.001, P<0.01, respectively), The results demonstrate that the alterations of the immunocompetent cells, particularly of the T-cell pool, may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of the elderly.