Significance of Preoperative and Postoperative Th1/Th2 Balance and Tc1 Activity in Advanced Colon Cancer : With Special Reference to Differences between Dukes' B and Dukes' C

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Purpose:The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the significance of the Th1/Th2 balance of Tc1 activity before and after surgery in patients with advanced colon cancer.
Subjects :The subjects were 30 patients with advanced colon cancer. There were 10 Dukes' B cases, 10 Dukes' C cases, and 10 Dukes' D cases. In addition, 10 healthy subjects were used for reference as a control group.
Results :Conclusion : Comparison of the Dukes'B cases with the controls showed that Th1, Th2, and Tc1 activity were all increased before surgery, and no changes were observed after surgery. Based on the percentage change between before and after surgery, the Th1/Th2 balance had improved postoperatively. Suppression of the Th1/Th2 balance was observed in the Dukes' C cases at least at 1 month postoperatively. However, the levels of Tcl activity were higher than the controls both preoperatively and postoperatively.
Conclusion The percentage change after surgery showed postoperative improvement of the Th1/Th2 balance in th Dukes' B cases, and there appeared to be a state in which Tc1 activity was being effetively utilized. Posoperative suppression of the Th1/Th2 balance was observed in the Dukes' C cases, sugesting that it may not have improved. However, since Tc1 activity was higher than in the controls both preoperatively and postoperatively, it appeared to be important to improve the Th1/Th2 balance and bring Tc1 activity to a more beneficial condition by immunotherapy methods, beginning in the early postoertive period.