LIU Cheng-jun, ZHAI Rui-ren, PANG Zhao-xia, WANG Li
Objective To study the effect of thermotherapy combined with low-dose irradiation on hematopoietic and immune function of mammary carcinoma. Methods 40 mammary carcinoma patients were randomly divided into conventional chemotherapy group, thermotherapy group, low-dose irradiation group and combination therapy (thermotherapy plus low-dose irradiation) group. Cyclophosphamide 100 mg/m2 was administrated orally from day 1 to day 14, Methotrexate 40 mg/m2, 5-Fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 were administrated intravenously on 1th and 8th day. The same dose of Methotrexate and 5-Fluorouracil was qiver in low flow and maintain in the constant temperature for 120 minutes in Thermotherapy group. Mice were totally body irradiated by 0.01Gy/d of 60Co-γ ray for 5 days per week for 3 weeks in Low-dose irradiation group. The dose and method of thermotherapy and low-dose irradiation in combined therapy group were the same as in thermotherapy group and low-dose irradiation group. Peripheral blood, including white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet, the level of interleukin 2, interleukin 4, γ interferon, CD4+ T,CD8+ T were observed after the above treatments. Results The level of interleukin 2, interleukin 4, γ interferon, CD4+ T,CD8+ T in thermotherapy group, low-dose irradiation group and combination therapy group were significantly higher than that of the conventional group. The observed index in thermotherapy group and combined group was higher than that of the low-dose irradiation group (P < 0.05). Combined therapy group has a better result than the thermotherapy group, but there was no significantly difference between them (P > 0.05). The counts of white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet in the combined therapy group are higher than those of other groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion The combination of thermotherapy with low-dose irradiation has a better protective effect on the hematopoietic and immune function of mammary carcinoma patients.