Immunocompetent cells and lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens in levamisole-treated brain tumor children.

This study investigated the influence of levamisole therapy on immunocompetent cells and lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens in 25 children with brain tumor. Eleven (11/25) patients were receiving chemotherapy and immunomodulating drug levamisole 3 months after neurosurgery, during maintenance chemotherapy, 2.5 mg/kg of body weight per os, for three consecutive days every 2 weeks, for 6-12 months. The proportion of lymphocytes, proportion and number of T- and B-lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens were significantly lower in non-levamisole-treated patients than in the healthy controls (N = 18). Therapy with levamisole significantly augments the proportion of T lymphocytes, the number of T lymphocytes, NK cells, and the lymphocyte reactivity to concanavalin A (Con A). Depression of the NK cells and the lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens were much more pronounced in those patients who developed recurrences. Levamisole shortened the period of secondary immunodeficiency in immunocompromised children with brain tumor.