title: Changes in the tendency of lymphocytes to undergo blastic transformation in the postoperative period, in immune-stimulated and untreated colonic tumour patients.
abstract: A study was made of the blastic transformation of lymphocytes in the postoperative period in colonic tumour patients: 23 who had been immune-stimulated by vaccination, and 28 who had not been vaccinated. The immune reactivity decreased significantly in the majority of the cases; however, the deterioration of the immune status affected 68% of the nonvaccinated group, but only 48% of the vaccinated group. The data indicate that the vaccination primarily averted the deterioration of the defence ability in the early postoperative period in patients with a normal preoperative immune activity. An evaluable change in the immune reactivity did not occur in the 6-10 preoperative days following vaccination. Three months postoperatively, the number of patients giving a normal immune reaction was three-fold in the vaccinated than in the non-vaccinated group.
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014611:Vaccination