Correlation of systemic and local inflammation in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Introduction  Inflammation and tumor development influence each other according to recent studies. Inflammation seems to play a crucial role in tumor development, angiogenesis and metastasis. The aim of this work was to investigate the local inflammation of the tumor microenvironment and the systemic peripheral inflammatory response in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods  36 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx treated at our hospital between 2007 and 2014 were studied. Cellular immune infiltrates (CD3, CD11b, CD19, CD45, CD66b, CD68, MIF and EPCAM) in TMA’s as well as serum biomarkers by LUMINEX analysis were analyzed. Furthermore, local and systemic immune parameters were correlated with TNM stage and survival.

Results Peritumoral stroma was shown to have significantly more CD3, CD11b, CD45 and CD66b positive cells compared to intratumoral tissue. In addition, positive correlation of CD3, CD66b and CD45 enrichment with serum parameters (especially ENA 78, IL/7, IL10 and VEGF) were also demonstrated.

Summary  The study performed gives an indication of a systemic and local inflammatory pattern in patients with head and neck cancer. Further studies with a larger cohort are planned.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2023