Lymphotoxin activity of regional lymph nodes of cancer patients and its relation to stages of cancer and the regulatory role of macrophages.

Lymphotoxin (LT) activity of regional lymph nodes from patients with uterine cervical cancer and patients with gastric cancer was studied. LT release from PHA-stimulated lymph node cells was decreased slightly in stage I of uterine cervical cancer and gastric cancer. Decrease of LT release was pronounced in advanced stages of both types of cancer. Spontaneous LT release by unstimulated lymph node cells was high in 8 of 20 internal iliac node of uterine cervical cancer in stage I. However, LT release was decreased in advanced stages. Similar tendency was observed in gastric cancer. Relation of LT release to the activity of macrophages was examined. Reverse correlation was observed between LT release and the cytostatic activity of adherent cells. This result suggests that macrophages play a regulatory role on LT production and release by regional lymph nodes in human cancer.