Abstract
NK activity and ADCC of lymphocytes for Oat cells were measured in patients with pulmonary tumors.NK activity was not less in patients with stage III and IV primary lung cancer and with metastatic pulmonary tumors compared with healthy volunteers. Changes in NK activity and ADCC were analyzed according to the performarice status (PS) of tumor-bearing patients. Although NK activity was significantly less in PS 3 and PS 4 patients, ADCC was higher in three groups. It is clear that NK activity in patients with tumors depends on the grade of PS. Furthermore, the effect of chemotherapy on NK activity and ADCC in 15 patients with advanced carcinomas of the lung was examined with regard to the drug, dose, route and timing of administration. The relationship between the effect of chemotherapy on the prognosis for the patients, and the changes in NK activity and ADCC, were also analyzed. NK activity and ADCC were significantly less in patients with poor prognosis, even before treatment. NK activity and ADCC began to decrease 2 weeks after the initiation of treatment, and reached the lowest level during the 3rd or 4th week in all patiens. Thereafter, they returned to the pretreatment level in 8 patients evaluated as no change according to the criteria of WHO. On the other hand, NK activity and ADCC did not return in 7 patients whose disease was progressive and prognosis poor. In 4 patients, it was found that the effect of chemotherapy with Pepleomycin (PLM) and Carbazilquinon (CQ) on NK activity and ADCC differed according to the drug used. Finally, we examined the effect of Cisplatin (CDDP) on NK activity and ADCC, and it was found that CDDP had no effect on their activities. From this study, it is suggested that NK activity and ADCC are valuable prognostic factors in patients with advanced carcinoma of the lung. Detailed analysis of the effect of each anticancer agent on NK activity and ADCC is desirable for the establishment of a better treatment regimen for advanced carcinoma of the lung.
