Hormonal therapy and alterations of immunity in prostatic cancer.

Retrospective evaluation of cell-mediated tumor-associated immunity in patients with prostatic cancer before and after the receipt of non hormonal or hormonal therapy disclosed that patients receiving hormonal therapy, i. e., orchiectomy and/or oestrogen, possessed significantly lower levels. The potential clinical relevancy of the suggested immunosuppressive effects of hormonal therapy on tumor-host responsiveness is considered in view of the present and previous observations.