title: Immunoregulatory T-lymphocyte functions in patients with small cell lung cancer.
abstract: The present study was performed to elucidate the differences in immune status between patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and those with non-small cell lung cancer. The study group consisted of 18 patients with SCLC and 15 with non-SCLC. Two healthy volunteers and 13 patients with benign disease were also included in the present study as the non-cancer control. In the non-SCLC group, although not statistically significant, the percentages of both OKT3+ and OKT4+ T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were slightly decreased, associated with a slight increase in the percentage of OKT8+ T-cells, and a slight decrease in the OKT4+ to OKT8+ T-cell ratio. In contrast, the PBL of the SCLC patients showed significantly lower proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin and human recombinant interleukin 2 than did the PBL of both the SCLC patients and the noncancer control group. The ability of PBL to produce lymphokines (interleukin 2 and macrophage activating factor) was significantly impaired in the SCLC group but not in the non-SCLC group. These results suggest that suppression of helper T-cell functions and/or potentiation of suppressor T-cell functions should occur in patients with SCLC.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins