INDOMETHACIN-SENSITIVE SUPPRESSION OF LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE RESPONSE TOPHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ IN IRRADIATED CERVICAL-CANCER PATIENTS - ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP - PRELIMINARY-REPORT

The possible contribution of the indomethacin-sensitive suppression ac tivity to the prolonged depression of lymphocyte function was investig ated in patients irradiated for cervical cancer. Phytohemagglutinin-in duced lymphoproliferative response (LPR) was significantly (p<0.001) r educed before radiotherapy (RT). Indomethacin was found to normalize t he reactivity in patients zith diminished response to mitogen in vitro . RT further deteriorated the previously impaired LPR, One-year follow -up showed that the depression of LPR after RT has induced a significa nt improvement of LPR during and at the end of RT (p<0.025), as well a s two: six and ten months after completing RT (p<0,025, p<0.005 and p< 0.01, respectively), but it has not normalized this lymphocyte functio n. These findings suggest that PGE-related suppression activity involv ed in the depression of in vitro lymprhocyte function in patients with uterine cervix cancer is long-lasting and might contribute, among oth er factors, to the prolonged impairment of lymphocyte functions after radiotherapy.