title: The in vitro effect of a calf thymus extract on the peripheral blood lymphocytes of sixty-six melanoma patients.
abstract: The in vitro effect of a calf thymus extract (TP-1) on peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated in sixty-six melanoma patients. Twenty out of forty-five stage I and seventeen out of twenty-one stage IIb patients presented depressed T lymphocyte values. A statistically significant increase in E-rosette-forming cells (E-RFC) was observed in seventeen (85%) stage I and twelve (70.5%) stage II patients. In thirteen (65%) stage I and eight (47%) stage II patients E-RFC reached normal values. Our results indicate that the fall of T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of melanoma patients is often related to an increase in TP-1 sensitive cells which suggests the possibility of a thymic hormone deficiency in these patients.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013949:Thymus Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013949:Thymus Extracts