Murray, Nigel P.Aedo, SocratesFuentealba, CynthiaReyes, EduardoSalazar, Anibal2022-12-012022-12-012022-07Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (APJCP), Vol. 23, N°7, (2022) p. 2497-2505.2476-762Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12254/2613Introduction: To determine if there was an association of the ALC (absolute lymphocyte count) and LCP (lymphocytopenia) with the expression of MMP-2 in bone marrow micro-metastasis, the changes occurring during follow-up and association with biochemical failure. Methods and patients: One month after surgery blood and bone marrow samples were taken to determine the presence of micro-metastasis, the presence of circulating prostate cells (CPCs) and ALC. CPCs and micro-metastasis were detected using immunocytochemistry and MMP-2 expression determined in micrometastasis. Only men positive for micro-metastasis participated in the study. At end follow blood was taken for serum PSA, ALC and CPCs, if the ALC decreased by more than 10% bone marrow sampling was repeated and MMP-2 expression determined, similarly for men with BF. Men who had stable ALCs had an end of study evaluation of the bone marrow. Results: 402 men underwent radical prostatectomy, one month post surgery 79 men were positive for only bone marrow micro-metastasis and formed the study group; of whom 36/79 (45%) underwent BF. Clinical pathological findings were not significantly different between men with or without BF. In men with BF the ALC was significantly lower one-month post surgery. The 5 and 10 year Kaplan-Meier survival was 100% at 5-years and 65% at 10-years for the whole cohort. Men without BF had stable ALCs. A decrease of >10% in the ALC was associated with increasing MMP-2 expression in the micro-metastasis and surrounding stromal tissue, the appearance of CPCs 6-12 months later and BF. Conclusions: the immune host-tumour cell interaction in the microenvironment is dynamic and changes with time. A decreasing ALC may be a valuable marker in identifying men with high risk of BF and changes in immune mediated dormancy before the PSA rises.enAtribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 3.0 Chile (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 CL)Minimal residual diseaseImmune functionLymphocytopeniaProstate cancerBiochemical failureArtículohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8154-8550https://doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2022.23.7.2497