Introduction/Background The incidence of endometrial cancer (EC) is increasing, and the age of onset is younger than in prior years. Although endometrial cancer still occurs more commonly in older women, for whom the mortality rate is increasing, it also is being diagnosed in younger and younger women. The development of cancer might be associated not only with deficient adaptive immunity, but also with innate immune responses where the prominent role plays Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between the expression levels of TLR-4 on CD4+ and CD8+ T as well as CD19+ B lymphocytes in patients with EC and selected clinical parameters.

Methodology The study group consisted of 40 women with EC, the control group consisted of 20 healthy women. Immunophenotyping was performed using the flow cytometry and cytokines concentrations were assessed using ELISA assay.

Results The mean percentage of CD4+/TLR-4+ and CD8+/TLR-4+ T cells in patients with EC was higher than in the control group (p < 0.0001). Three months after surgical removal of EC, the mean percentage of CD4+/TLR-4+ T cells in patients with EC decreased (p < 0.0001). The expression level of TLR-4 on CD4+ T lymphocytes correlated with stage of EC (r = 0.47, p = 0.007). The mean percentage of CD8+/TLR-4+ T cells in patients with EC before surgery compared to patients with EC after surgery was higher (p = 0.0163).

Conclusion The expression level of CD4+/TLR-4+ and CD8+/TLR-4+ T cells in patients is strongly correlated with a diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Thus the TLR-4 can be a prognostic marker for detection of endometrial cancer.