Effect of Radiation Therapy on Composition of Lymphocyte Populations in Patients with Primary Breast Cancer.

Background: Radiation therapy (RT) is an important step in the treatment of primary breast cancer as it is one of the leading contributors to cancer incidence among women. Most patients with this disease acquire radiation-induced lymphopenia in the early post-radiation period; however, little is known about the effect of RT on the composition of lymphocyte populations in such patients. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of adjuvant remote RT-performed in the classical mode for patients with primary breast cancer-on the main components of cell-mediated immunity (major lymphocyte populations), including those in patients receiving chemotherapy.