COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE THYMUS GLAND AS A RESULT OF EXPERIMENTAL CHEMOTHERAPY

Аннотация

This study investigated the morphological changes in the thymus tissue of white outbred rats after experimental chemotherapy for breast cancer. The research aimed to determine the involutive processes in thymus structure, the ratio of stromal and parenchymal elements, and the immunomorphological characteristics under the influence of paclitaxel. Following paclitaxel administration, a decrease in lymphocyte numbers within thymic follicles, thinning of the cortical zone, an increase in macrophages and reticular cells in the medulla, condensation of stromal fibers, and the appearance of adipose tissue elements were observed. In conclusion, chemotherapy induces significant immunodepressive and involutive morphological changes in the thymus, which may reduce the organism’s immune response.