Cellular immune function in patients with cancer of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Lymphocytes of 30 patients were examined for cellular immune function one day prior to operation. In 11 patients the tests were repeated six weeks after surgery. In comparison with 26 healthy blood donors the E rosette values were strongly reduced in the patients group. The zymosan-complement rosette counts were significantly lower if percentages were compared, but not significant when they were expressed in absolute numbers. Lymphocyte transformation tests revealed significant differences between the patients and control cases with all three mitogens applied (PHA, ConA, PWM). In the 11 patients with the tests repeated after operation, the effect of autologous plasma on the cultures was also studied. The main tendency was inhibition but in some cases the patients' plasma enhanced the reaction. Killer cell activity by ADCC was significantly lower in patients' than in the healthy donors' lymphocytes in different target-effector cell ratios.