Persisting lymphocyte deficiences during remission in Hodgkin's disease
Björkholm, M.; Holm, G.; Mellstedt, H.
Clinical and Experimental Immunology 28(3): 389-393
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9104 PMID: 302164 Document Number: 116157
Blood lymphocytes from 19 patients with Hodgkin's disease were tested in vitro before and after treatment. The patients were retested in complete and unmaintained remission at least 15 mo. after termination of radiotherapy. All patients except 2 were treated with total nodal irradiation. The lymphocyte-DNA synthesis induced by concanavalin A (Con A) and PPD was poor and the spontaneous DNA synthesis was increased in untreated patients. Most patients had a T [thymus-derived] cell lymphocytopenia before treatment. After irradiation the total lymphocyte counts were reduced drastically. The number of T lymphocytes was particularly low, though the number of B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocytes decreased as well. The lymphocyte response to Con A and PPD remained low and unchanged. The results may suggest a persisting immunodeficiency in Hodgkin's disease as reflected by the lymphocyte response to Con A and PPD.