Levels of T-cell Receptor Excision Circles and B-cell κ-deletion Element in Patients with Stages I–III Ovarian Cancer

Introduction. Ovarian cancer is the ninth most common malignant neoplasm. This condition often causes severe complications, such as loss of reproductive organs, which is particularly characteristic of hereditary forms of the cancer. At present, a wide range of ovarian cancer treatments is available, including targeted therapy; however, optimal immunotherapy regimens are still lacking. The development and progression of ovarian cancer are largely determined by impaired immune surveillance. A factor influencing the effectiveness of immune surveillance of the tumor is a diverse repertoire of T-cell and B-cell receptors. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) and κ-deleting recombination excision circles (KREC) in patients with stage I–III ovarian cancer. Materials and methods. Levels of TREC and KREC were analyzed in 42 patients with ovarian cancer who underwent radical treatment. The study included patients aged 23 to 74 years. Results and discussion. The median TREC level (copies/10⁵ cells) was 16.04 [Q1–Q3: 2.14–37.31], and the median KREC level (copies/10⁵ cells) was 130.06 [Q1–Q3: 0.34–917.00]. Following radical treatment, 17 patients (40.5%) experienced disease recurrence. The median recurrence-free survival was 19 months, with the earliest recurrence observed 7 months after surgery. Our findings corroborate previous studies indicating an association between malignant tumor progression and excision circle levels. The results also demonstrated a decrease in TREC and KREC levels with increasing patient age, as well as a clear trend toward recurrence in patients with reduced blood levels of TREC and KREC. Conclusion. Based on our results, in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, blood levels of TREC and KREC are low. These changes reflect the presence of immunodeficiency conditions, which in turn indicate reduced antitumor.