Peculiarities of changes in the functi on of NK-cells and neutrophils in patients with thyroid cancer depending on age and presence of distant metastases in the early terms after radioiodine therapy

The aim is a comparative analysis of cytotoxic activity of NK-cells and metabolic activity of neutrophils (NF) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) depending on the age and the presence of distant metastases in the early terms after radioiodine therapy (RIT ). Materials and methods. The study of immunological parameters was carried out in 3 groups of patients with DTC: group 1 — from 12 to 18 years, group 2 — from 19 to 39 years, group 3 — from 40 to 71 years, each of which was divided into 2 subgroups depending on the presence of distant metastases (A and B). Patients subgroups A received 1-5 courses of RIT, subgroup B — from 1 to 12 courses of RIT. The studies were conducted the day before and in 5 or 6 days after taking 131I from 2180 to 8000 MBq activity. The control group consisted of donors with respective age and gender. Cytotoxic activity of NK-cells against indicator target cells was determined using spectrophotometry. Metabolic activity of NF was investigated by a standard test of nitro blue tetrazolium. Results. In patients without distant metastases (A) after the course of RIT, the function of NK cells decreases in groups 1 and 3, the metabolic activity of NF significantly increases in groups 1 and 2. In patients with distant metastases (B) after the RIT course, the activity of NK-cells decreases in all age groups compared to baseline value, the metabolic activity of NF remains low in group 1 and increases in group 2. The lowest indices of NK-cell activity before and after the course of RIT were found in older patients. Conclusions. In young and older patients, the presence of distant metastases affects the degree of decrease in the activity of NK cells after the course of RIT. The increase in NF activity after a course of RIT depends on the presence of distant metastases of the DTC in patients of different ages.