Preoperative Immune Cell Dysregulation Accompanies Ovarian Cancer Patients into the Postoperative Period

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC) poses a significant global health challenge with high mortality rates, emphasizing the need for improved treatment strategies. The immune system’s role in OC progression and treatment response is increasingly recognized, particularly regarding peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and cytokine production. This study aimed to investigate PBMC subpopulations (T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, monocytes) and cytokine production, specifically interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-12 (IL-12), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), in monocytes of OC patients both preoperatively and during the early postoperative period. Thirteen OC patients and 23 controls were enrolled. Preoperatively, OC patients exhibited changes in PBMC subpopulations, including decreased cytotoxic T cells, increased M2 monocytes, and the disbalance of monocyte cytokine production. These alterations persisted after surgery with subtle additional changes observed in PBMC subpopulations and cytokine expression in monocytes. Considering the pivotal role of these altered cells and cytokines in OC progression, our findings suggest that OC patients experience an enhanced pro-tumorigenic environment, which persists into the early postoperative period. These findings highlight the impact of surgery on the complex interaction between the immune system and OC progression. Further investigation is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms during this early postoperative period, which may hold potential for interventions aimed at improving OC management.