Summary

Introduction: The immune system, a good part of the body’s defense against cancer is driven directly by the cells and between these the CD8 lymphocytes.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the CD8 lymphocytes (cellular immunity) in children and adolescents with cancer who regularly attend to the Manuel Ascencio Villarroel Children’s Hospital in Cochabamba region (Bolivia) and to relate the results with the type of cancer and the treatment to which they are being subjected.

Result: In types of cancers that affect these children and adolescents, 78.26 have lymphoblastic leukemia (acute B cells), 8.69% have histiocytosis, 4.34 have uterine adenocarcinoma, 4.34% myeloid leukemia, 4.34% rhabdomyosarcoma. The patients that are undergoing chemotherapy; 65.21% maintenance, 21.74% consolidation, 8.69% are in surveillance, 4.34% do not respond to treatment.

Cellular immunity, with the determination of CD8 lymphocytes per ml resulted: Patient 1=42, patient 2=33, patient 3=0, patient 4=10, patient 5=25, patient 6=7, patient 7=16, patient 8=28, patient 9=63, patient 10=69, patient 11=66, patient 12=16, patient 13=108, patient 14=14, patient 15=18, patient 16=126, patient 17=17, patient 18=163, patient 19=47, patient 20=0, patient 21=7, patient 22=123, patient 23=279.Concerning to the type of cancer and its treatment with chemotherapy, there is no appreciable difference in the proportion of the decreased of CD8 lymphocytes.

Conclusion: Considering that normal values of CD8 cells are between 600 and 800 cells/ml of blood, this study found: that in all children or adolescents with cancer who are or were receiving chemotherapy, the cellular immune system is weakened. That in children or adolescents who are under monitoring, values tend to increase slightly, but without reaching normal values. That in some children and adolescents with cancer who are in consolidation therapy, CD8 lymphocytes are absent.

Keywords: Children; Adolescents; Bolivia; Cancer; CD8 lymphocytes; Chemotherapy

Abbreviations: LL: Lymphoblastic Leukemia; ML: Myeloid Leukemia; IS: Immunological Surveillance