Photo Credit: Artur Plawgo

The following is a summary of “Influence of cryoablation versus operation on circulating lymphocyte subsets in patients with early-stage renal cell carcinoma,” published in the July 2024 issue of Oncology by Waidhauser et al.

The immune response is pivotal in local tumor control, particularly in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), known for its high immunogenicity. For localized RCC, common therapeutic options include surgical resection and local ablative procedures such as cryoablation, with the latter also demonstrating additional immunological anti-tumor effects. This prospective study aimed to elucidate changes in peripheral blood circulating lymphocytes and their subsets in patients with RCC undergoing cryoablation or surgery. Using extensive flow cytometry, the researchers longitudinally tracked these changes and compared lymphocyte profiles of patients with RCC to those of a healthy control group. 

The study cohort comprised 25 patients with RCC, out of which 8 underwent cryoablation and 17 underwent surgery. Univariate and multivariable analyses indicated significantly lower levels of B cells, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells, and their subsets in both treatment groups compared to healthy controls. Within the treatment modalities, surgery was associated with a significant decline in various lymphocyte subsets, followed by normalization after three months. In contrast, cryoablation resulted in increased counts of CD69+CD4+ and CD69+CD8+ cells, as well as memory CD8+ cells, persisting three months post-treatment. Treatment-naïve patients with RCC initially exhibited lower peripheral blood lymphocyte counts than healthy individuals. Post-treatment trajectories revealed distinct lymphocyte dynamics between the surgery and cryoablation groups, with cryoablation uniquely inducing a sustained immunological response. 

These findings suggest that while both treatments impact lymphocyte levels, cryoablation may offer additional immunological benefits by enhancing specific lymphocyte subsets, potentially contributing to long-term tumor control.

Source: bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-024-12596-w