Immunological capacity of lymphocytes from untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease evaluated in mixed lymphocyte culture.

Blood lymphocytes from thirty-nine untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease were tested for stimulatory and responding capacity in mixed lymphocyte culture. The response to allogeneic lymphocytes was impaired in ten patients but the mean response of the patient group did not differ from healthy controls. Lymphocytes from female patients responded better than male patients (P less than 0-02). The stimulatory efficacy was severely impaired in patients' lymphocytes (P less than 0-001). Age, clinical stage and histopathology had no significant influence on the responding or stimulatory capacity.