Clinical Study on Anti-cancer Activities of Regional Lymph Node Lymphocytes in Gastric Cancer

Sumiyuki Sone, Masashi Kodama, Hirofumi Koyama, Kenji Koyama

First Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine

This study was done to elucidate whether or not the regional lymph nodes of gastric cancer have an immunological anti-caner function. The lymphocyte subsets were analyzd with monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. The monoclonal antibodies were for CD4 (helper/inducer T cell) and CD8 (suppressor/cytotoxic T cell). The percentages of lymphocyte subsets were compared with clinico-pathological factors. The level of antitumor immunity was significantly higher in early gastric cavcer or small-sized cancer than in advanced gastric cancer or large-sized cancer. The level was also higher in patients without lymph node metastasis or without cancer cell invasion into the lymphatic vessels and veins than those with them. Antitumor immunity was higher or retained in stage I, but had a tendency to be lower in more advamced stages. Antitumor immunity in the patient with cancer recurrence was significantly lower than in those without recurrence. These results suggest that it may be important to retain some lymph nodes without metastasis in patients with early stage gastric cancer.

Key words
regional lymph node of gastric cancer, antitumor immunity of gastric cancer, lymphcyte subset

Reprint requests
Sumiyuki Sone First Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine
1-1-1, Hondo, Akita, 010 JAPAN

Accepted
October 13, 1993

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