Long-term immune dysfunction after radiotherapy to the XXXX area.

@entity1 @entity135 @entity404 @entity2905 @entity2133 @entity957 @entity1221 @entity5 @entity281 @entity405
BACKGROUND: Hematological side effects are not generally expected due to radiotherapy involving limited radiation fields; however, @entity1 with @entity957 of the @entity135 (SCCH and N) receiving radiation therapy frequently have chronic @entity281 . @entity2133 has been implicated as a cause of it, but local or systemic immune alterations are not usually considered. METHODS: With the purpose of evaluating the impact of radiotherapy treatment to different anatomic sites on immune function, 70 @entity1 were evaluated during and after radiotherapy: 50 cases with SCCH and N, 10 with @entity957 ( @entity957 ) and 10 @entity1 with @entity1221 ( @entity1221 ). We analyzed lymphocyte counts and T-cell subsets, and over time, their association with the presence of intracellular infections and disease-free survival. RESULTS: Severe @entity2905 was observed in @entity1 with @entity957 and SCCH and N by the fifth week of treatment. @entity1 with @entity1221 @entity5 developed mild @entity2905 . In @entity1 with SCCH and N and UC, lower counts were seen in B cells and total T lymphocyte counts including both @entity404 (+) and @entity405 (+) cell subsets. The @entity1 with @entity957 recovered lymphocyte counts by the 24th month but T-cell subsets lagged behind. None of the SCCH and N @entity1 had fully recovered by 60 months of follow-up. Recurrence correlates with low lymphocyte counts. DISCUSSION: This work highlights the vulnerability of the @entity135 area to the impact of radiotherapy as a reservoir of lymphoid cells. The possibility of recovery as a consequence of thymopoiesis and/or peripheral clonal expansion may limit the antigen-specific recognition of relevant @entity5 or microbial antigens and cause significant and prolonged immune alterations that may impact long-term survival.
