Cyst fluid of glioma does not inhibit the killing action of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in vitro.

In theory, lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells offer a potential method to treat cerebral gliomas, especially low-grade gliomas. LAK cells would be administered by repeated injections straight into the cavity of a subtotally removed tumour. However, brain-tumour cyst fluid has been shown to be immunosuppressive in lymphocyte stimulation tests. Therefore we wanted to know whether the fluid would reduce the killing efficacy of LAK cells. Using a standard cytotoxity test based on 51Cr release, we compared in vitro the cytotoxity of LAK cells against K-562 tumour cells in brain-tumour cyst fluid, autologous serum and allogeneic serum. Five patients with cystic glioma and one with cystic meningioma were studied and no inhibition of cytotoxity of LAK cells was observed.