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Immunocompetence in lung cancer. Relationship to extent of tumor burden and histologic type
Author(s) -
Pillai M. Radhakrishna,
Balaram Prabha,
Padmanabhan T. K.,
Abraham Thomas,
Hareendran N. K.,
Nair M. Krishnan
Publication year - 1989
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(19891101)64:9<1853::aid-cncr2820640917>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - immunocompetence , medicine , lung cancer , cancer , pathology , oncology , immunology , immune system
In vitro assays of immunocompetence were done in 60 patients with differing extents of tumor load and various histologic types of lung cancer and were compared to values obtained for 60 normal controls. Profound alterations in monoclonal antibody‐defined T‐lymphocytes and circulating B‐cells were seen. All patients showed impaired blastogenic response to the mitogens used with the exception of a normal response to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) in patients with localized disease. Increased levels of serum IgG were seen in patients with localized disease whereas high levels of IgA was seen in patients with more advanced disease. Distant metastases were associated with low IgM levels. All patients studied regardless of stage and histologic type had elevated levels of circulating immunocomplexes. These findings indicate gross immunologic abnormalities in these patients.