Effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiation on tumor-infiltrating/associated lymphocytes in locally advanced rectal cancers.

Lymphocytes and natural killer cells (NK) appear to be important in colorectal cancer. Their role in chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancers is unclear. We evaluated T-lymphocytes (CD3), sub-groups CD4 and CD8, and NK cells (CD56+CD57) in normal and rectal tumor tissues pre- and post-chemoradiotherapy, and investigated their relationship to tumor regression grade, disease-free survival and pathological stage.Tissue microarrays from colonoscopic biopsies, resection specimens and normal tissues, from 52 patients, were immunostained.NK cell counts were significantly lower in tumor samples compared to normal tissues (p=0.007). T-lymphocyte counts were higher in post-treatment compared to pre-treatment samples (p=0.025), specifically in the CD8 subgroup after long-course treatment. The results suggested an association between post-treatment CD8 and NK cell counts with higher tumor regression. No associations were found with regard to stage or disease-free survival.NK cell counts were significantly reduced in rectal cancers compared to normal tissues, while total T-lymphocyte counts increased post-chemoradiotherapy. Both appeared important in tumor regression.