[Immunological monitoring of brain tumors--prognosis and cellular immunity of patients with brain tumors].
The usefulness of in vivo skin tests for reaction to purified protein derivative (PPD) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for assessment of cell mediated immunity was investigated among 31 patients with brain tumors. These included 22 gliomas and 9 metastatic brain tumors. Each patient was administered intradermal injections of 0.05 micrograms PPD and 0.5 micrograms PHA, and erythema was observed in each case. A positive reaction (erythema diameter greater than 10 mm) to PPD was observed in 8 (74%) of 11 low grade gliomas, 3 (27%) of 11 malignant gliomas and 6 (67%) of 9 metastatic brain tumors. A positive reaction (erythema diameter greater than 25 mm) to PHA was observed in 8 (74%) of 11 low grade gliomas, 4 (36%) of 11 malignant gliomas, and 6 (67%) of 9 metastatic brain tumors. In repeated PHA skin reaction tests conducted at intervals of one month, the reaction of the patients depended on their clinical state. Thirteen of the patients died. The PHA skin reaction of 7 of the 13 patients who survived for more than 6 months was all negative 6 months prior to death, and continued and repeated reaction tests did not result in a positive finding except for one patient with malignant glioma. In 10 of the 13, the PHA skin reaction was negative one month prior to death, and the final test result was negative for 11 of the 13.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011379:Prognosis; D012882:Skin Tests; D014374:Tuberculin Test
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins