title: Evaluation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in renal adenocarcinoma before and after surgical removal of the tumor.
abstract: Peripheral blood T lymphocytes were studied in 24 untreated patients with renal adenocarcinoma, 80 per cent of whom had local extension of the tumor. T lymphocytes were evaluated with the total and the active rosette assays, and were further submitted to stimulation by a range of phytohemagglutinin concentrations in vitro. Controls were healthy volunteers tested on the same days as the patients. Total E-rosette forming cells were slightly decreased but the difference compared to controls was not significant. Active rosettes were normal. When present lymphocytopenia affected total E-rosette forming cells. The mean of the log-converted stimulation indexes was reduced significantly in the patient group only when a suboptimal concentration of phytohemagglutinin was used. Total E-rosette forming cells returned to normal 3 weeks postoperatively but lymphocyte reactivity did not improve and active rosette forming cells remained within normal range. Thus, only minor abnormalities of T lymphocytes were disclosed in this study, suggesting functional alterations rather than depletion. Our study confirms that a cancer operation may act as immunotherapy.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*