Immunologic Unreactivity in Bladder Cancer Patients

Analysis of natural killer activity and natural killer cell subsets in patients with bladder cancer

“…This innnnunosuppressed state seen in bladder cancer patients has been dennonstrated by other innnnunological exanninations, including the in vitro blastoid response to phytohennagglutinin [4], analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations [13], and delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions with recall antigens [14]. However, there is considerable controversy in the literature with regard to NK activity in bladder cancer patients.…”

Immunological Profile of Patients with Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

“…Since the first report by Bubenik et al (1970a) showing that human bladder cancer possesses tumour specific antigens, many studies have been performed in order to determine the cellular immune competence of patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. Both in vitro (Bubenik et al, 1970b) and in vivo (Olsson et al, 1972;Brosman el al., 1979) tests were introduced; however, their real significance is not yet clear (Lessing, 1978).…”

Thymus-Derived Lymphocytes in Patients With Bilharzial Urinary Bladder Cancer: Brief Communication

“…Since total T-cell levels were significantly reduced in cancer patients with both early (stages I and II) and advanced (stages III and IV) disease when compared to both normal controls and patients with bilharziasis, only active T-cell rosettes could be correlated with the stage of disease. Our findings may have some clinical importance, since in immune-deficiency diseases the level of active T-cell rosettes also correlated with the clinical status of disease, while total T -cell rosettes did not (14,15)_ It has been suggested that active T-cells may represent a further stage of differentiation of thymus-derived lymphocytes (14) and that they may have a higher net binding affinity with SRBC than do total T-Iymphocytes (14)_ It also has been observed that active but not total T-cells may be increased either after immunotherapy or following the in vitro incubation of lymphocytes with thymosin(16)_ Several other investigators (4,17,18) have reported that patients with bladder cancer have reductions in the total number of T-Iymphocytes, although no data were provided about active RFC_ In our series of 43 patients, 25 (58%) had bladder cancer of the squamous cell type, and without exception they all had S_ haematobium infection (chronic bilharziasis)_ In contrast, patients in the previously reported studies had mainly transitional cell carcinomas that were nonbilharzial in origin_ Our present data stand in contrast to those that we reported earlier (19)-In that preliminary report no significant differences in the numbers of active Tlymphocytes were detected in bladder cancer patients when compared to normal controls, but in retrospect this probably was due to the small number of patients who were studied_…”

“…Since total T·cell levels were reduced significantly in cancer patients with both early (stages I and II) and advanced (stages III and IV) disease when compared to normal controls and patients with bilharziasis, only the number of active T·cells could be correlated with the clinical stage of disease. -J Nail Cancer Inst 59: 355-357,1977. Recent studies indicate that patients with bladder cancer may have decreased immunocompetence as measured by impaired delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to skin test agents such as dinitrochlorobenzene (1-3) and tuberculin (4), reduced responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (2,3), and decreased levels of thymus· derived (T) lymphocytes in their peripheral blood (4,5). The relationship between chronic infection with Schistosoma haematobium and carcinoma of the urinary bladder has long been recognized (6).…”