ABSTRACT
Objective To acknowledge the effect of T-lymphocyte subset on lymph node micrometastasis in esophageal cancer patients by the study of the correlation between T-lymphocyte subset and micrometastasis.Methods CD3+、CD4+、CD8+and CD4+/CD8+ were examined in esophageal cancer patients under thoracotomy by flow cytometry,and the micrometastasis were examined by immunohistochemistry in lymph node that were diagnosed as negative for metastases by routine histopathological analysis.Two groups were divided by with or without micro-metastasis,T-lymphocyte subset were compared with two groups.Results CD3+,CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+were significantly lower in group with micrometastasis than in group without micrometastasis,CD8+ was significantly higher in group with micrometagtasis than in group without micrometastasis.Conclusion T-lymphocyte subset is closely associmed with micrometastasis and low CD3+,CD4+ and high CD8+ T-lymphocyte is associated with poor cancer-specific survival.