Comparison of Lymphocyte Subsets, Inflammatory Factors and Postoperative Infection in Cervical Cancer at Stage I and Stage II

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally. The aim of this study was to compare lymphocyte subsets, inflammatory factor levels and postoperative infection between patients with cervical cancer at stage I and stage II. Methods: From January 2018 to January 2021, a total of 92 patients with cervical cancer (41 cases at stage I, 51 cases at stage II) were included in the study. The ratios of peripheral blood CD₃⁺ T lymphocyte, CD₄⁺ T lymphocyte, CD₈⁺ T lymphocyte, CD₄⁺/CD₈⁺ T lymphocyte, T Helper 17 Cell (Th17), regulator T cell (Treg), Th17/Treg, inflammatory factors including serum interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-13, IL-17, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and postoperative infection were compared between stage I and stage II patients. Results: The proportion of lymph node metastasis in stage I patients was lower than that in stage II patients (p < 0.05). The ratios of preoperative peripheral blood CD₃⁺ T, CD₄⁺ T, CD₄⁺/CD₈⁺ T were higher while Th17, Treg and Th17/Treg ratios in peripheral blood were lower in stage I patients compared to stage Ⅱ patients (all p < 0.001). Preoperative serum IL-2 and IFN-γ levels were higher, and serum IL-4, IL-17, and IL-23 levels were lower in stage I patients compared to stage II patients (all p < 0.001). In addition, the postoperative infection rates for stage I and stage II were 12.20% and 29.41%, respectively, (p = 0.047). Conclusions: Patients with cervical cancer at stage II have more severe immune dysfunction and inflammatory damage, higher postoperative infection rate, and more diverse infection sites compared to cervical cancer patients at stage I.