[Effects of lysozyme chloride on immune responses of patients with uterine cervical cancer].

The effects of lysozyme chloride (LY) and mainly on immunocompetence of patients with uterine cervical cancer were investigated partly in comparison with the historical control group. Patients were classified into non-surgery group (the LY group: 11 cases, the control group: 13 cases) and surgery group (the LY group: 6 cases, the control group: 7 cases). LY administration at a daily dose of 270 mg per os was started at the same time as the initiation of radiotherapy, and continued for three months after the therapy. 1) In non-surgery group composed of advanced cancer patients, a significant restorative effect of LY on a decrease in peripheral lymphocyte count induced by irradiation was observed. In surgery group composed of early stage of cancer patients, the restorative effect of LY was apparently mild. 2) The changes of other immunological parameters in the LY group such as lymphocyte blastogenic response to PHA, T, B-cell numbers and T-cell percent comparatively were well correlated with that of peripheral lymphocyte count in the LY group. 3) LY treatment resulted in a significant suppression of post-radiative decrease in leucocytes count in non-surgery group. 4) LY treatment tended to bring about the improvement of depressed state of trophicity and liver function especially of advanced cancer patients. From these results, it was suggested that LY might act as a kind of immunomodulator, and lead to the potentiation of depressed immunological status of advanced uterine cervical cancer patients. It was therefore expected that adjuvant LY treatment could contribute to the advantageous clinical effects in the treatment of cancer patients.