Immune reactive proteins in patients irradiated for cervical cancer. One year follow up

Abstract

The parameters of nonspecific humoral immunity--serum immunoglobulins and immune complexes--were evaluated in irradiated group of patients with uterine cervix carcinoma (Stages IIB and IIIB), during one year follow up. The concentrations of IgA, which were elevated in patients before therapy, slowly declined after the radiotherapy, at the end of the follow up being returned to the normal range. The concentrations of IgG, which were significantly decreased in patients immediately after the therapy, were sharply and transiently elevated two months after the therapy; afterwards, the levels of IgG gradually decreased to the values which did not differ from their pre- or post-RT levels, as well as from control ones. The levels of CIC were not significantly changed after radiotherapy, although a transient increase was found seven months after radiotherapy, being not different from controls at the end of the follow up. The serum IgM remained in the range of control values immediately after radiotherapy, as well as during monitoring. The slow normalization of the serum IgA and CIC levels might reflect the success of the therapy.