Effect of selected exercise program on natural killer cytotoxic cells activity of post-mastectomy patients

The purpose of this present study is to define the role of cells of the innate immune system (i.e., NK cells) in infection and cancer and investigate the effect of selected exercise program on natural killer cytotoxic cells of post-mastectomy patients. Forty female patients have referred from an oncologist professor have undergone mastectomies and they have selected from the oncology surgery department, physical therapy clinic of National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University. They have ranged between 40 and 60 years. They all were female patients. They all have undergone mastectomy. These patients have randomly divided into two equal groups, group A (an exercise group) (n = 20) patients were received the selected exercise program and group B (a control group) (n = 20) patients were received the routine postoperative physical therapy protocol of National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University. All patients were assessed and pre- and post-exercise program measurements were taken by using Flow Cytometry [Dako Cytomation Corp., model Partec III] for concentrations of circulating natural-killer-cell cytotoxic activity (NKCA) using a CD56 stained with FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) dye. The results revealed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in all measured circulating natural-killer-cell cytotoxic activity (NKCA) pretreatment and post 3 months of treatment in both exercise and control groups. But the rate of improvement in exercise group was more than that in control group which revealed the effect of the selected exercise program in circulating natural-killer-cell cytotoxic activity (NKCA). It could be concluded that, early moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on the function of in vitro NK cells in post-mastectomy patients rather than the routine postoperative physical therapy protocol.