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Spontaneous rosette formation and rosette inhibition assays in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
Author(s) -
Deegan Michael J.,
Coulthard Stanley W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197705)39:5<2137::aid-cncr2820390530>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - medicine , rosette (schizont appearance) , lymphocyte , stage (stratigraphy) , population , head and neck , pathology , cell , basal cell , cellular immunity , immunology , gastroenterology , immune system , biology , surgery , paleontology , genetics , environmental health
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck were studied by spontaneous lymphocyte rosette and rosette inhibition (RI) assays prior to treatment. The patients were clinically staged and the results of the assays compared with the clinical stage of the disease. The percentage of T‐lymphocytes as determined by the spontaneous lymphocyte rosette test was significantly lower (p < .01) for the patient group when compared with a normal population. Patients with stage I and II disease did not differ significantly from controls. Individuals with stage III or IV disease, however, had significantly lower T‐lymphocyte counts. The tumors were histologically graded as well, moderately well, or poorly differentiated SCC. Patients with poorly differentiated neoplasms had significantly lower T‐cell counts. The RI assay (using horse anti‐human thymocyte globulin to inhibit rosette formation) was abnormal in many of the patients but did not appear to be a more sensitive in vitro measure of cell mediated immunity in these patients. Performing both tests detected more patients with cellular immunologic incompetence than either one alone.