title: Natural killer cell activity in laryngeal carcinoma.
abstract: We studied the relationship of natural killer cell activity from peripheral blood mononuclear cells with the clinical and pathologic stage of disease in 23 male patients with previously untreated carcinoma of the larynx and 22 healthy male control subjects. Levels of natural killer cell activity against K-562 target cells were similar in control subjects and patients, regardless of stage, tumor size, and clinical cervical adenopathies. Natural killer cell activity, however, was significantly decreased in patients with pathologic cervical lymph node involvement. The number of natural killer cells, as estimated by CD16 and CD56 monoclonal antibodies, was similar in all groups of subjects. We conclude that in patients with laryngeal carcinoma, there is a correlation between deficient natural killer cell activity and nodal metastases, which may represent a prognostic indicator in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Service of Otorhinolaryngology, Clínica Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacoma
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gea-Banacloche
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Corugedo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durántez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD