LEUKOCYTES AND LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS IN PERI PHERAL-BLOOD AND MALIGNANT ASCITES OF PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN-CANCER

Ascites and peripheral blood of 12 patients with advanced ovarian canc er (stage IV) have been investigated by two-color flow cytometry for l eukocytes and lymphocyte subsets with monoclonal antibodies against CD 3, CD4, CD8, CD14, CD16/56, CD19, CD25, CD45, CD57, and HLA-DR. Ascite s compared with blood showed a significant raise of CD3-positive lymph ocytes (80 +/- 14% vs. 69 +/- 8%) and a significant reduction of CD57- positive lymphocytes (13.6 +/- 13% vs 24 +/- 21%). There was an increa sed expression of HLA-DR on CD3-positive lymphocytes in malignant asci tes. The results are discussed with regard to a supposedly defective l ocal immune defense against the tumor.