J. Szopinski et al., Interferon gamma and interleukin-2 secretion in whole blood cell cultures from small-cell lung cancer patients, TUMOR BIOL, 22(2), 2001, pp. 72-76
Secretion of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) in whole
blood cell cultures after phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (P
WM) stimulation was evaluated in 42 small-cell lung cancer patients before
treatment. Blood cultures from patients with extensive and limited disease
have lower IFN gamma secretions after PWM stimulation and tower IL-2 secret
ions after PWM and PHA stimulation, but this was not statistically signific
ant. IFN gamma but not IL-2 secretion was significantly higher after PWM st
imulation in cultures from patients with better clinical performance status
(0 + 1,WHO scale). Blood cultures from patients with tumor regression afte
r treatment had a higher secretion of IFN gamma after PWM stimulation. In c
ontrast, blood cultures from patients with a poor prognosis had significant
ly lower IL-2 and IFN gamma secretions after stimulation with PWM, and a lo
wer IL-2 secretion after stimulation with PHA. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger
AG, Basel.