Studies on Lymphocyte Subsets of the Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer by Use of Two Color Flow Cytometry

Hiroshi Tanabe, Susumu Watanabe, Naoki Imai

Department of Surgery, Kizawa Hospital

We investigated lymphocyte subsets in order to assess immune activity in patients with cancer by two color flow cytometry. The lymphocyte subsets of 103 patients with gastrointestinal cancer were analyzed with monoclonal antibody (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, Leu15), and the results were compared according to the stages of the disease, performance status, and nutritional states of the patients. The numbers of OKT3 and OKT4 cells were decreased in patients with advanced stage cancer compared with those with early stage cancer. The numbers of OKT8 and the OKT4/8 ratio of the patients in stage IV were lower than those of the patients in other stages. The numbers of OKT8⁺×Leu15⁺ (suppressor T cells) of the patients either with advanced stage cancer or in advanced performance status, were decreased. The number of OKT8⁺×Leu15^- (cytotoxic T cells) showed no stage-relative changes, and was increased in showed no stage-relative changes, and was increased in the patients in advanced performance status compared with those in early performance status. The above described data suggests that the peripheral lymphocytes of patients with gastrointestinal cancer react to the aggravation of the disease.

Key words
lymphocyte subsets, two color flow cytometry, gastrointestinal cancer, performance status of cancer patients

Reprint requests
Hiroshi Tanabe Department of Surgery, Kizawa Hospital
590 Simokobi, Minokamo, 505 JAPAN

Accepted
October 11, 1989

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