Augmentation of natural killer cell activity after arterial embolization of renal carcinomas.

Preoperative embolization of the renal artery has been reported to improve the survival of patients with advanced renal carcinomas compared to operative treatment only. To investigate possible immunological consequences of tumor embolization, natural killer (NK) cell activity in peripheral blood was investigated immediately before and at different time intervals after occlusion of the renal artery by insertion of a metal coil. A slight increase in NK activity could be observed 24 hr postembolization while a marked augmentation was seen after 48 hr. The high NK activity persisted up to 96 hr after embolization, the last time period included in the study. Two patients undergoing the same procedure but in whom embolization was unsuccessful showed no alteration in NK activity. It is suggested that interferon produced by macrophages activated by the necrotizing tumor might be responsible for the augmentation of NK activity.