Abstract
In order to assess the immune activity in patients with gastric cancer, 82 patients were classified into four stages by histological findings, and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed with monoclonal antibodies including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD15, CD45R, CD56, CD57, and Leu8. These measurements were compared by stages of the disease, namely, stage I (23 cases), stage II (16), stage III (19) and stage IV (24).
In T cells, decreases in CD4+ CD45R+ Leu8+ (suppressor inducer T) cells and CD8+ CD11b+ (suppressor T) cells were observed with an advence in the stage. In NK cells, CD57+ CD16+ (NK+++) cells decreased with an advence on the stage. In LAK cells, a decrease in CD3- CD16+ CD56+ (NK-LAK) cells and an increase in CD3+ CD16- CD56+ (T-LAK) cells were noted with an advance in the stage.
These results suggested that, with advance in the stage of gastric cancer, suppressor inducer, suppresser cell subpopulation and NK, NK-LAK cell subpopulation decreased, while T-LAK cell subpopulation increased.
