Immunologic tools to decipher efficacy of BCG immunotherapy in advanced breast cancer: a one year follow up study
Saha, K.; Kapila, H.; Madan, R.; Shinghal, R.N.
Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology 4(2): 139-148
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-877X PMID: 3541948 Document Number: 277734
We report the clinical outcome of conventional therapy and BCG immunisation therapy for 40 patients with advanced breast carcinoma. The clinical outcome was better for the 20 patients receiving BCG immunisation therapy. All patients were assessed for cell mediated immunologic competence before starting treatment and after completion of treatment. Thereafter they were followed for one year. Those patients who showed good local response to BCG vaccination before starting therapy had better prognosis, and those from whom anergy to PPD and DNCB could be reversed by BCG immunotherapy showed clinical improvement. Another interesting finding was that IgA was the predominating immunoglobulin located in normal breast tissue and benign breast tumours while IgG was deposited in most of the malignant breast tumour. This indicated that malignant tumours of the breast jeopardise the secretory immune system of the mammary gland.