Immunomodulation in vitro. The predictive value of in vitro testing of lung cancer patients' lymphocyte responsiveness to stimulation by Thymex L. A preliminary report

J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 1997 Sep;16(3):309-12.

Abstract

Eleven lung cancer patients were selected for combined radio and immunotherapy with a thymic agent-Thymex L. The selection criteria included the pre-therapy testing of patients' immunocompetence and the responsiveness of their lymphocytes to the in vitro addition of Thymex L: only patients with a significant degree of immunodepression, whose depressed cellular immunity parameters (the number of total and active T cells and their mitogen-induced lymphoproliferative response) were significantly increased upon this agent's action in vitro, entered the study. The results of the pre-therapy in vitro stimulation correlated with those obtained after completion of radioimmunotherapy: the administration of Thymex L along with radiotherapy seances prevented iatrogenic deterioration of initial depression of general immunocompetence and enabled to overcome it to a certain degree. This indicates that pre-therapy in vitro testing has a true predictive value. However, the initial immune disturbances were not normalized by immunotherapy; the post-therapy testing of the patients' lymphocytes to the addition of Thymex L in vitro showed that these cells possessed a residual potential to respond by a significant increase of the active T cell number and proliferative capacity, suggesting that immunotherapy could be prolonged in order to potentiate cellular immunity in immunodepressed lung cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Tests
  • Immunotherapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Phytohemagglutinins / pharmacology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Stimulation, Chemical
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymus Extracts / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Phytohemagglutinins
  • Thymus Extracts
  • Thymex-L