A prospective study of the changes in immune status following radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease

Abstract

In a prospective study, immune status was measured in 23 previously untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease Stage I-IIIA. Assessments of immunologic capacity were performed at diagnosis and repeated after staging laparotomy and after radiotherapy. The immune status was measured using delayed-type hypersensitivity tests to common recall antigens, the number of T-and B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, in vitro lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogens, antigens, and allogeneic lymphocytes, and serum levels of immunoglobulins. Skin reactivity was not significantly affected by either the staging laparotomy with splenectomy or the radiotherapy. Absolute T-lymphocyte count increased after splenectomy (P < 0.025) and decreased after radiotherapy (P < 0.005 compared to postsplenectomy values). In vitro lymphocyte responsiveness after splenectomy was comparable to the initial presenting level and diminished after radiotherapy (P < 0.005). Serum levels of IgM were lowered after radiotherapy (P < 0.05) while the fall was not significant after splenectomy. Three months after radiotherapy, lowest mean T-cells percentages were noted, but the responses to mitogens were significantly higher than those obtained immediately after treatment (P < 0.01). While the reduction in the proportion of the T-lymphocytes persisted for 18 months, the mean lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogens, antigens, and allogeneic lymphocytes increased on follow-up. Apart from a severe impairment of the immune status following radiotherapy, this study also shows the existence of significant repair mechanisms during the follow-up period.Cancer 53:62-69. 1984.NTREATED Hodgkin's disease is commonly accom-

Immunologic profile in patients with Hodgkin's disease in complete remission

“…Decreased IgM concentrations have been described in HD patients who have undergone diagnostic splenectomy, as well as in those who have not. 25 Radiotherapy and chemotherapy may have been responsible for the IgM deficit, especially immediately after treatment discontinuation. We are not aware of data concerning increased levels of complement and their significance to HD during remission.…”

Are there overlapping clinical features between thoracic radiotherapy side effects and covid-19 pneumonia? Radiation pneumonitis outside the radiation ports: Three case reports

“…Likewise Covid-19 pneumonia, an immunologically mediated mechanism due to an overactive immune system triggered by radiation has been postulated also in these post radiation pneumonia. [15] Given these similarities and the exceptional rarity of these events, to recognize and differentiate these entities from COVID-19 pneumonia is now a big challenge for radiologists who are beginning to familiarize with this infectious disease. Sharing informations may be useful to solve the question.…”

“…BAL fluid 160 may improve diagnosis with the detection accuracy of the virus. also been postulated in radiation pneumonia [17]. Given these sim-…”

Adult tumor board. Hodgkin's disease: Long‐term effects of therapy

“…Skin test reactivity, however, improved regardless of response or failure to therapy. In a similar review by Rijswijk [79] of patients treated with radiation and followed for 30 or more months, T-cell numbers were persistently low, and in vitro lymphocyte stimulation tests slowly increased toward the low pretreatment levels. After a median disease-free interval of 6.5 years in 47 patients treated with combination chemotherapy with or without radiation, Fisher [80,81] found a significant reduction in total T-cell numbers and uniformly depressed lymphocyte stimulation tests.…”