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Modulatory Effects of Estrogen on Immunologic Responsiveness. III. Effect of Hormonal Versus Nonhormonal Therapy on Tumor‐Associated Immunity in Prostatic Cancer *
Author(s) -
ABLIN RICHARD J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 0271-7352
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1981.tb00038.x
Subject(s) - diethylstilbestrol , medicine , estrogen , hormonal therapy , hormone , cancer , estrogen therapy , hormone therapy , oncology , immunity , endocrinology , immune system , breast cancer , immunology
ABSTRACT: In vitro pretreatment of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from patients with prostatic cancer with therapeutically significant levels of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (DES‐P) has been shown to suppress cell‐mediated tumor‐associated immunity (TAI). In the present retrospective evaluation of TAI in 27 patients with prostatic cancer, prior to and following the receipt of nonhormonal and hormonal, ie, estrogen and/or orchiectomy, therapy, patients receiving hormonal therapy possessed significantly (p < 0.05) lower levels of TAI, irrespective of the in vitro pretreatment of their PBL with DES‐P. Suppression of TAI by in vitro pretreatment of PBL with DES‐P and in prostatic cancer patients receiving estrogen therapy parallels and extends earlier observations of the estrogenic suppression of nonspecific, mitogen‐induced cellular responsiveness. The clinical relevancy of the immunosuppressive effects of hormonal therapy on tumor‐host responsiveness is considered in view of the present and previous studies.