The long-term influence on the immunological stage from surgery and/or
adjuvant or palliative therapy of 23 patients with metastatic colorec
tal carcinoma was investigated by performing regular phenotyping and f
unctional analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The followin
g groups were chosen: A (n=6); patients after resection of primary tum
or and liver-metastases without chemotherapy. B (n=3); patients with c
atheter implantation after resection of primary tumor and liver metast
ases receiving an adjuvant arterial chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (
5-FU) and folinic acid (5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid, FA). C (n=7); pa
tients with non-resectable liver-metastases, receiving arterial or sys
temic chemotherapy after catheter implantation. D (n=7); patients with
extrahepatic filiae receiving systemic palliative chemotherapy. Lymph
ocytes of 10 healthy volunteers served as controls. Furthermore, we we
re able to show effects of 5-FU and FA on the immune system.