Abstract
In order to study the cell-mediated immunity in patients with cancer of the gastrointestinaltract, peripheral mononuclear cells of patients treated generally of locally with OK-432 weretested for T-cells, B-cells, natural killing (NK) activity, antibody dependent cell-mediatedcytotoxic (ADCC) activity, interleukin 2 (IL-2) production with determination of serumlevels of interferon (IFN).
The results were as follows: (1) In 32 patients with systenic treatment by OK-432, NKactivity and serum IFN levels showed a significant (p<0.05). (2) In 22 patients treated withlocal injection of OK-432, NK and ADCC activity increased significantly (p<0.01). In 2cases of these patients, tumor mass regressed with disappearance of malignant cells inthe repeated biopsy specimens.
(3) In 18 patients treated without OK-432, NK activity ADCC activity and IL-2 productionshowed significant decrease (p<0.05).
(4) In patients with better prognosis, T-cell percent and NK activity were significantlyhigher than those in patients with poorer prognosis.
