Peripheral natural killer cell activity is associated with poor clinical outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors
Hee Seung Lee ; Galam Leem ; Huapyong Kang ; Jung Hyun Jo ; Moon Jae Chung ; Soo Jeong Jang ; Da Hae Yoon ; Jeong Youp Park ; Seung Woo Park ; Si Young Song ; Seungmin Bang
Citation
JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Vol.36(2) : 516-522, 2021-02
Biliary neoplasms ; Innate immunity ; Pancreatic cancer
Abstract
Background and aim: We aimed to measure the natural killer (NK) cell activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer patients and investigate the correlation of NK cell activity and cytokines with cancer status and clinical outcomes.
Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients who were pathologically diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) between 2016 and 2017 at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. As a control group, healthy participants were enrolled by mobile application recruitment.
Results: A total of 203 patients were enrolled for this study (PDAC, n = 102; healthy participants, n = 101). The peripheral blood NK cell activity of PDAC patients was significantly lower than that of healthy participants (median level, 95 pg/mL vs 2000 pg/mL, P < 0.001), and decreased NK cell activity was correlated to poor clinical outcome in terms of response to chemotherapy, tumor progression, and survival. The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 had a strong negative correlation with NK cell activity.
Conclusions: In pancreatic cancer patients, NK cell activity decreased as cancer progressed, and decreased NK cell activity was associated with poor clinical outcomes.