Abstract
A longitudinal evaluation of the natural killer (NK) cell activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes was performed in 17 patients with advanced ovarian cancer (treated surgically and with subsequent multiagent chemotherapy) for a median follow-up period of 32 months. At the time of primary treatment, the mean value of NK cell activity was significantly lower in patients who then had disease progression (p < 0.05) than in patients with progression-free survival. During the follow-up period, no significant modifications of the NK cell activity were observed; only at the time of clinical disease progression did the NK cell activity show a significant reduction. We conclude that the NK cell activity is a potentially important prognostic factor.
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
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Adenocarcinoma / immunology
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Adenocarcinoma / surgery
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Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / drug therapy
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Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / immunology*
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Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / surgery
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
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Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
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Cisplatin / administration & dosage
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Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
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Cystadenoma / drug therapy
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Cystadenoma / immunology*
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Cystadenoma / surgery
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Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
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Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
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Endometriosis / drug therapy
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Endometriosis / immunology
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Endometriosis / surgery
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Epirubicin / administration & dosage
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Female
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Follow-Up Studies
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Humans
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Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
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Middle Aged
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Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
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Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology*
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Ovarian Neoplasms / surgery
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Prognosis
Substances
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Epirubicin
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Cyclophosphamide
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Cisplatin