Immunological Differences Between Right-Sided and Left-Sided Colorectal Cancers: A Comparison of Embryologic Midgut and Hindgut
- Author:
Han Deok KWAK
1
;
Jae Kyun JU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Embryology; Sidedness; Immune cell
- MeSH: Adult; B-Lymphocytes; Cohort Studies; Colonic Neoplasms; Colorectal Neoplasms; Embryology; Flow Cytometry; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Immune System; Incidence; Population Density; T-Lymphocytes
- From:Annals of Coloproctology 2019;35(6):342-346
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: There are known differences in embryology, clinical symptoms, incidences, molecular pathways involved, and oncologic outcomes of right-sided and left-sided colorectal cancers. However, immunologic study has only been characterized for healthy adults. The present study was designed to identify differences in immune cell populations in patients with right-sided and left-sided colorectal cancers.METHODS: A total of 35 patients who underwent colorectal resection for cancer between November 2016 and August 2017 at a tertiary teaching hospital were enrolled in this study. Patients were excluded if they had a disease affecting their immune system. Populations of immune cells, including mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT), gamma delta T, invariant natural killer T, T, natural killer, and B cells, were measured in the peripheral blood and cancer tissues using flow cytometry, and then assessed based on the origin of the colorectal cancer.RESULTS: Fifteen had right-side and 20 had left-side colorectal cancer. There were no significant differences between the 2 cohorts for patient characteristics including pathologic stage. Peripheral blood from patients with right-side colon cancers contained fewer MAIT (0.87% right-side vs. 1.74% left-side, P = 0.028) and gamma delta T cells (1.10% right-side vs. 3.05% left-side, P = 0.002). Although the group with right-side colorectal cancer had more MAIT cells in cancer tissues (1.71% vs. 1.00%), this difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSION: There is a difference in population sizes of immune cells in blood between patients with right-sided and leftsided colon cancers. The immune cell composition was determined to be distinct based on embryologic origin.
