THE EFFECTS OF THYMOSTIMULIN ON IMMUNOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

Patients with head and neck carcinoma show deficits of cellular immuni ty, probably due to low molecular mass factors (LMMFs) released by the tumour. Thymostimulin (TP1) restores the defective monocyte chemotaxi s and dendritic cell clustering capability in the presence of the tumo ur when administered preoperatively. In the present study we investiga ted these immune parameters in 39 patients treated with TP1 for 10 day s pre- and 6 months post-operatively and in 22 patients who were not t reated with TP1 for 6 months after operation. Removal of the tumour in non-TP1-treated patients also resulted in a restoration of monocyte a nd dendritic cell functions, while TP1 treatment gave no additional ef fect. LMMF levels in the blood of both TP1-treated and non-TP1-treated patients remained elevated even after removal of the tumour, and it i s therefore concluded that it is unlikely that depression of cellular immunity is a direct effect of these LMMFS.