title: Immunocompetence in lung cancer. Relationship to extent of tumor burden and histologic type.
abstract: 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. Increase 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.
authors.affiliation: Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balaram
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Padmanabhan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Hareendran
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000276:immunology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008934:Mitogens