Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has been a main cause of the high incidence of thyroid carcinoma. No existing study has reported whether microwave ablation (MWA) affects patients' immunity. Therefore, this study explored the effects of MWA treatment on the immune functions of patients with PTMC. METHODS: This study included 50 patients diagnosed with PTMC who received MWA treatment under ultrasound guidance at the ultrasound department of our hospital from January 2019 to October 2020. Changes in immune function after MWA treatment in PTMC patients were detected by T lymphocyte subsets and cytokines secreted by T helper cells. RESULTS: At 1 day and 2 weeks after MWA treatment, the proportions of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) T lymphocyte subsets and the levels of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ in the peripheral blood of the patients were significantly higher than those before MWA treatment (P<0.05). The levels of CD8(+) T lymphocytes, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17A were not significantly different from those before MWA treatment (P>0.05). One month after MWA treatment, the proportions of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) T lymphocytes and the levels of the cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17A were not significantly different from those before MWA treatment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The immune functions of patients with PTMC are temporarily enhanced after MWA treatment, which has important clinical significance for patients' anti-PTMC ability.