Abstract
Three hundred and seventy three patients with various diseases were evaluated with 4 types of delayed hypersensitivity skin tests (PPD, PHA, Candida and SK-SD) before operation. The tests were considered positive when reddish erythema was larger than 10 mm in diameter, but it was 25 mm in PHA. Skin test index (STI) was defined as follows: STI=logDT+logDC+logDP+logDS-0.4/4
where DT, DC, DP and DS were mean diameter of PPD, PHA, Candida and SK-SD, respectively.
The following results were obtained:
1) Mean diameters of PPD and SK-SD were reduced in patients with malignant diseases.
2) Accordingly, anergy for PPD, Candida and SK-SD was present in 32%, 50%, 37% of the patients with malignant diseases.
3) Subnormal response, namely, STI smaller than 1.0, existed in 44% of patients with malignant diseases, 25% with benign diseases and 3% in healthy subjects.
