Review Article

More Than Just Tumor Destruction: Immunomodulation by Thermal Ablation of Cancer

Table 3

Recent Studies reporting immune modulation in cancer patients and animal models treated with cryoablation.

SpeciesTumorModelImmunologic effectReferences

HumanCRC ( )Gangliosides (GM2, GD1a, GT1b; serum)↑[116]
Antiganglioside antibodies (serum)↑
HCC ( )CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells (blood, ablation[105]
zone surrounding tissue)
Prostate ( )IFNγ↑, TNF (serum)↑[85]
Tumor-specific T-cell responses (blood)↑
Prostate ( )± GM-CSFTumor-specific T-cell responses (blood)↑[85]
RCC ( )+ GM-CSFTumor-specific T-cell responses (blood)↑[87]
Tumor-specific antibodies (serum)↑
Liver metastasesIL-6, TNF (serum)↑[84]
( )Th1/Th2 ratio (blood)↑
CCC ( )

Mouse (BALB/c)CRCColon-26 ± krestinCD8+ antitumor T-cell reactivity (spleen)[94]
(↑)
Number of metastases
Colon-26 ± TregTumor-specific CD8+ T cells (spleen)↑[96]
depletion ± DC + BCGTumor growth (distant tumors)
Colon-26 ±Tumor-specific T cells (spleen, draining[97]
cyclophosphamidelymph nodes)↑
Tumor growth (rechallenge)
MammaryMT-901IFNγ, IL-12 (serum)↑[83]
Tumor-specific T cells (draining
lymph nodes but not in spleen)↑
NK cell activity (spleen)↑
Tumor growth (rechallenge)
T cells (draining lymph nodes)↑[95]
Tumor-specific T cells (draining lymph
nodes)↑
Pulmonary metastases
Tumor-specific T cells (draining lymph[79]
nodes)↑
Pulmonary metastases (high-intensity
freezing)
Pulmonary metastases (low-intensity
freezing)↑
MelanomaB16-OVA ± imiquimodTumor-specific T cell proliferation↑[98]
Tumor growth (rechallenge)
B16-MO5 ± DCTumor growth (rechallenge)[92]

Mouse (C57BL/6)MelanomaB16-OVA ±DC maturation and antigen uptake[69]
CTLA4-mAb(TDLN)↑
Tumor growth (rechallenge)
B16-OVA ± CpGDC (TDLN)↑[135]
CD4+, CD8+ T cells (TDLN)↑
OVA-specific T cells (TDLN)↑
Tumor growth (rechallenge after
peritumoral CpG administration)

Mouse (NIHMelanomaIIB-MEL-J (human)Neutrophils (RB6-5CG+)[86]
(S)-nu)± GM-CSF(tumor-surrounding tissue)↑
macrophages (F4/80+; tumor-surrounding tissue)↑
DC (DEC205+; tumor-surrounding
tissue)↑

Mouse (OT-I T cellLungLewis lung tumorTumor-specific CD8+ T-cell[92]
receptor (Vα2/Vβ5)D122 ± DCproliferation↑
transgenic)Th1 responses↑
Tumor growth (lung metastases)

Rat (Wistar)GliomaC6CD3+ and CD4+ T-cell percentages (blood)↑[89]
CD4+/CD8+ ratio (blood)↑

(↑) Weak induction.