title: Anergy in patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: A prospective study of delayed hypersensitivity was carried out in gastric cancer patients. One hundred and fifty-six subjects were studied. Fifty-nine were controls and ninety-nine patients with gastric neoplasm. A multitest technique was used to evaluate the delayed hypersensitivity response, classifying the subjects into one of three groups: immunocompetent, relatively anergic, and anergic. In the control group, 76% per cent of the subjects were immunocompetent; of the patients, only 43% showed an adequate cell-mediated immune response (p less than 0.001). Fourteen control subjects (24%) and 54 patients (56%) presented with either anergy or relative anergy (p less than 0.001). Of the ninety-four patients that underwent surgery, five (11.9%) of the immunocompetent group developed major postoperative septic complications, as did seven (22%) of the relative anergic and seven (35%) of the anergic patients (immunocompetent vs. anergic, p less than 0.05). Our study indicates a relationship between anergy and postoperative septic complications.
authors.affiliation: University of Santiago de Compostela, School of Medicine, Hospital General de Galacia, Department of Surgery.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cainzos
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alcalde
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potel
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Puente
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology; D012882:Skin Tests; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology