Hypersegmentation of neutrophil nuclei in peripheral blood of patients with localized and advanced cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx

Neutrophilic granulocytes have a wide spectrum of functional activity. In recent years, the functional significance of neutrophils in the development and course of malignant neoplasms has been discussed. It has been shown that neutrophilic granulocytes can play pro- or antitumor activity. The aim of the study was to assess the structural and functional features of neutrophils in patients with varying degrees of prevalence of cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx. Forty-one patients (aged 35-67) with newly diagnosed cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx were examined and divided into subgroups according to the TNM classification: the first subgroup (14 patients) with a localized tumor process consisted; and the second subgroup (27 patients) with a widespread tumor process. The relative and absolute number of neutrophils was assessed, and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was determined. The content of neutrophils with varying degrees of nuclear segmentation in the blood was calculated, the activity of myeloperoxidase, cationic proteins, alkaline phosphatase, and the degree of neutrophil activation in the NBT test was determined cytochemically. Concentration of interleukin-8 was determined using ELISA. In patients with cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx the number of neutrophils (p = 0.045) and NLR (p = 0.033), as well as serum concentration of interleukin 8 (p = 0.011), increased compared to healthy individuals. The proportion of cells with hypersegmented nuclei in the neutrophil population (p < 0.001) and cytotoxic potential increased with the spread of tumor process. A direct correlation (r = 0.42, p = 0.03) was found between the T index, which reflects the volume of the tumor, and the content of hypersegmented neutrophils. It can be argued that such a simple and accessible laboratory parameter as the degree of segmentation of the nuclei of neutrophilic granulocytes can be used as one of the criteria to assess and predict the course of the tumor process.