Collateral Damage: Molecular Aging And P16ink4a Senescence Protein In Testicular Cancer Survivors Treated With Chemotherapy.

548Background: Cytotoxic chemotherapy can cure patients with advanced germ cell tumors. Nevertheless, cancer treatment may induce cellular senescence and accelerate molecular aging. The aging process implies an increase of cells expressing p16INK4a and changes in lymphocyte subpopulations. Our aim was to study the potential induction of premature immunosenescence in testicular cancer patients exposed to chemotherapy. Methods: Case-control study of testicular cancer survivors (TCS) treated with chemotherapy (≥3 BEP cycles, disease-free ≥ 3 months) matched by age with healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated, and lymphocyte subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry. p16INK4a expression was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the 2-ΔΔCt method was used for the p16INK4a expression analysis. Groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test. Results are expressed as median (IQR) unless otherwise indicated. Results: We included 15 cases and 15 controls. Mean age 32...