Immunological assessment of cryotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Background: In murine studies, cryotherapy has induced antitumor immune responses associated with the rejection of tumors. However, the effects of freezing-induced immunomodulation in breast cancer (BC) patients remain unclear.

Materials And Methods: Ten BC patients were prospectively divided into two groups: 1) cryotherapy followed by surgical excision and 2) surgical excision-alone. The cytokine profiles of plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed using flow cytometry following in vitro stimulation with the 30-mer MUC1 peptide.

Results: No differences in the percentages of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing cluster of differentiation (CD)4(+) or CD8(+) T cells and the plasma levels of IFN-γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and TNF-β were observed between these 2 groups, and PBMCs were not significantly altered.

Conclusion: Alternations to the type 1 and 2 helper cytokine profiles were not detected in vitro in BC patients treated with cryotherapy-alone.