title: Immunologic function in patients with carcinoma of the pancreas.
abstract: The immune fuction of 41 patients with duct cell adenocarcinoma of the pancreas or carcinoma of the periampullary region was studied by skin testing with 2,4-dinitrocholorobenzene and common microbial antigens, in vitro lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens, T-lymphocyte and B-lymphocyte cell counts and measurements of complement levels. Results show that a great proportion of patients had depressed immune function. Depression is particularly severe in lymphocyte reactivity. Positive response to skin tests with a microbial antigen carries a slightly better prognosis. The complement level is usually normal or elevated. Correlation between immune function, prognosis and tumor resectability in individual patients is generally poor.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003172:Complement C1 / Q000032:analysis; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D012397:Rosette Formation; D012882:Skin Tests; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D003172:Complement C1; D003176:Complement C3; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D003165:Complement System Proteins