Effect of T-activin therapy on indomethacin modulation of lymphoproliferative response in vitro of melanoma patients

Background. Several studies showed that PGE-mediated immunosuppression in c ancer patients may be differentially affected by conventional oncologic the rapy. Methods Since there is little evidence about the action of immunotherapy on this suppression mechanism, we investigated the effect of therapy with a t hymic agent - T-activin, on in vitro modulation of lymphoproliferative resp onse (LPR) by indomethacin. Results. The results demonstrated that indomethacin added in vitro enhanced LPR in early stage melanoma patients before therapy T-activin therapy as a n adjunct to surgery improved this lymphocyte function; the post-therapy in vitro addition of indomethacin did not significantly affect mitogen respon se, However, in these patients whose LPR was insufficiently enhanced by imm unotherapy (3/8), indomethacin had improved their lymphocyte response. In t he control patient group treated by surgery alone, indomethacin significant ly enhanced LPR in vitro six months after operation,Although obtained in a small number of patients, our results indicate that the enhancing effect of T-activin therapy on lymphoproliferative response may be, at least in part , due to the effect on PGE-mediated suppressor cell activity, Conclusions. Furthermore, post-therapy in vitro testing may indicate a poss ible usefulness of this drug combination in some of the early stage melanom a patients.