Tumor cytotoxicity of peritoneal macrophages and Peripheral blood monocytes from patients with ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancer

The purpose of this study was to compare the cytotoxic capacity of peritone al macrophages (PM) and peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) from patients with ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers after in vitro activation with gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Peritoneal macro phages were obtained from ascites or peritoneal washings and peripheral blo od monocytes via peripheral venipuncture from 58 patients: 17 with ovarian, 19 with endometrial, and 10 with cervical cancers. PBM and PM from 12 pati ents with nonmalignant gynecologic conditions served as controls. Cytotoxic ity was assessed by the ability of PBM and PM to lyze Cr-51-labeled Chang h epatoma cells. Activated peripheral blood monocytes of ovarian and endometr ial cancer patients and peritoneal macrophages from ovarian cancer patients were significantly more cytotoxic than those from nonactivated controls. A ctivated PBM and PM from cervical cancer and PM from endometrial cancer did not demonstrate increased cytotoxicity compared to nonactivated controls. There was no significant correlation of the cytotoxicity with grade, stage, differentiation or age of the cancers. These in vitro data would suggest t hat ovarian cancer and possibly endometrial cancer should receive further e valuation and consideration of cytokine-based and/or adoptive cellular immu notherapy.