Ekspresi FOXP3+ Sel T Regulator sebagai Faktor Tumor Microenvironment pada Karsinoma Nasofaring

Abstract

Introduction: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (KNF) is the most common type of cancer found in the Rosenmuller's fossa. Currently, the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) is believed to play an important role in cancer progression. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are immune cells that play an important role in the TME and are characterized by the expression of the Forkhead box P3 transcription factor (FOXP3+). Objective: This study aimed to determine the expression of FOXP3+ Treg cells in the tumor microenvironment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Material and Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study using paraffin blocks from KNF patients examined by RT-PCR to assess FOXP3+ expression. Results: The study subjects were 31 people, 22 men (71%) and 9 women (29%), with a mean age of 45.39 years. The mean number of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in all subjects in this study was 0.52. There was no significant relationship between FOXP3+ regulatory T cell expression and histopathological type (p = 0.789), tumor mass expansion (p = 0.151), or KNF stage (p = 0.054), but there was a statistically significant relationship with lymph node enlargement (p = 0.021). Conclusion: This study showed a significant association between increased expression of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and KGB enlargement; however, there was no significant association between histopathological type, tumor extension, and clinical staging. This study shows that there is a trend towards increased expression of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells at an early stage. Presumably, regulatory T cells, as immunosuppressive cells, decrease in the advanced stage owing to the reduced number of anti-cancer immune cells.