Prognostic significance of radiation induced lymphopenia in patients with high risk prostate cancer

Lymphopenia is a known side-eff ect of radiotherapy but, being usually asymptomatic, its clinical value is just recently being recognized in the light of immunotherapy revival. Here we present clinical and laboratory data of 9 high-risk prostate patients that underwent whole pelvis radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy. All patients experienced haematological toxicity during their treatment, with lymphopenia being the most profound. In addition, all of them were asymptomatic as regards to observed lymphopenia. After median follow up of 17 months 8/9 patients are still receiving hormonal treatment and have no evidence of their disease. The only patient with relapse discontinued hormonal therapy upon completion of radiotherapy. Therefore, we could not show any detrimental eff ect of observed lymphopenia on the outcome of these 9 patients.