Some parameters of cell-mediated immunity in colon cancer patients.

16 colon cancer patients in the second clinical stage (according to the TNM classification), aged 34 to 71 years were studied before and 14 days after radical surgery. The in vitro cell-mediated immunity was evaluated using the rosette-forming test and blastogenic reactivity of blood lymphocytes to PHA. The percentage of total rosette-forming cells (T-cells) before and after surgery did not alter significantly (p less than 0.1). At the same time there was no significant difference between the number of rosette-forming cells in cancer patients compared to donors (p less than 0.1). Blastogenic reactivity of lymphocytes to PHA expressed as a stimulation index (S. I.) showed a significant decrease of that parameter in patients compared to donors (p less than 0.001). The S. I. was lower in patients 14 days after surgery than prior to treatment (p less than 0.01).