چکیده (انگلیسی):

Objective: To study the change of the peripheral blood immune pattern and its correlation
with prognosis in patients with liver cancer after treated by sorafenib.
Methods: Patients with advanced liver cancer admitted in our hospital were enrolled and
treated with sorafenib. After two months of the treatment, their peripheral blood was
collected. The immune cell subset and cytokines level were determined by flow
cytometry and luminex technology. According to the reaction expressed by patients towards
sorafenib, patients were divided into the response group and the no response group.
The changes of the peripheral blood immune pattern and its correlation with prognosis of
patients in the two groups were compared.
Results: Before and after treatment of sorafenib, there was no significant difference in
the ratios of T cells, NK cells and their subtypes in peripheral blood of patients between
the two groups; while after treatment the ratio of B cells and regulatory B cells (Breg) of
patients in the response group was significant higher than that of the no response group
(P < 0.05), and the prognosis conditions of patients with decreased ratio of Breg cells
were better than other patients after undergoing chemotherapy. The levels of plasma
cytokines IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL17, FIL-3L, IFN-g, TNF-a, MCP-1 and VEGF showed
no significant differences.
Conclusions: After treatment of sorafenib, the prognosis conditions of patients of
advanced liver cancer with a reduced Breg ratio are better than patients with an unaltered
or increased Breg ratio. The ratio of Breg in peripheral blood may be considered as early
biological indicator for the prediction of the curative effects of sorafenib.