IN-VITRO T-LYMPHOCYTE FUNCTION IN HEAD AND NECK-CANCER PATIENTS

T-lymphocyte cell function was studied in vitro in peripheral blood mo nonuclear cells (PBMC) from 61 male patients with head and neck squamo us cell carcinomas compared to 46 control patients, Patients older tha n XO years or with reduced tumor-related performance status as measure d by Karnofsky score less than 75 were excluded. In contrast to previo us similar studies, control subjects ensured a minimum stress load by sampling all patients on tile day of either diagnostic or therapeutic surgery, PBMC were separated by density-gradient centrifugation and su bsequently cultured with autologous sera in vitro, The mitogen concana valin A (Con A), which stimulates all T-cell clones, was employed, Fin dings showed that increased Con A stimulation and PBMC proliferation o ccurred with PBMC from cancer patients compared to that from control p atients, In contrast, no differences could be detected with respect to the stimulated supernatant level of interleukin-2, interleukin-4 or i nterferon-gamma between the groups, These results suggest that T-lymph ocytes from PBMC are generally affected by neoplastic disease through either a supporting cell or serum factor.