Horizontal studies of cell mediated immune reactions to autologous tumour antigens in patients with operable mammary carcinoma.
The leucocyte migration and guinea-pig macrophage migration procedures were used to assess cell mediated, tumour directed immune reactions in patients with mammary carcinoma undergoing simple mastectomy with or without post-operative irradiation. Forty-seven per cent of patients reacted to autologous tumour antigens and 40% to allogeneic antigens when tested 7 days after operation; 23% reacted to autologous antigens at 2 months, 19% at 6 months and 34% at 1 year after surgery. Reactions to benign tissue fractions were rare. Better discrimination between test and control subjects was obtained when 3000 g sediments rather than nuclei-depleted homogenates (extracts) were used. Irradiation 3-7 weeks post-operatively did not depress the in vitro response at 2 months and yielded a higher rate of positive reactions at 6 months. Correlations of serial LMT responses with certain clinical findings are discussed.
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm