title: T-cell rosette test in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: The percentage of total T-lymphocytes was measured in 38 patients with histologically diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. This measure of cellular immunity, which appears to be important in tumor-cell destruction, is demonstrably lowered in advanced stages of this disease. With the use of this test, the effect of a combined chemoimmunotherapeutic regimen consisting of methotrexate sodium, isoniazid, and BCG vaccine was sutdied. In this small series, no decrease of the T-cell count following treatment by methotrexate was demonstrated, except when a high dosage followed by leucovorin calcium was used. The BCG vaccine appeared to enhance T-cell counts, and one patient who was treated with cryosurgery had a dramatic increase in circulating T-lymphocytes. The T-cell test may be of clinical importance in the development of treatment sequences that provide maximum reduction of tumor cell mass while preserving host T cells.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007104:Immune Adherence Reaction / Q000379:methods; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007538:Isoniazid; D008727:Methotrexate