The effect of levamisole on postoperative immunosuppression

Abstract

Cell mediated immunity was studied before and after surgery in patients with colorectal cancer. Thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes were enumerated and their non-specific activity was measured by assessing phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced blastogenesis. Specific T lymphocyte activity was measured by leucocyte migration inhibition in response to purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) and autochthonous tumour extract. One group of patients received levamisole postoperatively and the other group consisted of controls. There was a more rapid return to preoperative levels of leucocyte migration inhibition to both antigens by the levamisole group. However, levamisole administration had only a marginal effect on the postoperative depression of cell counts and did not restore depressed lymphoblast transformation.

Lymphoblast transformation following adjuvant treatment of an induced colonic cancer with levamisole and fluorouracil

“…That this was not merely an artefact suggested by a small number of hyper-responsive animals is demonstrated by the significant elevation of LT in levamisole-treated animals compared with untreated controls. This confirms in the rat model our findings that levamisole restores postoperative depression in patients with colorectal cancer [19]. However, it was found that in the human situation, lymphokine production was restored more quickly than was LT.…”

“…Success with immunotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer [14] and lung cancer [1,11] has led to increased interest in the use of combinations of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Combination of these forms of treatment with surgery means that a reduction in tumour bulk can be combined with a restoration of immunity depressed by cancer [17] or surgery [19].…”

A Short Discussion on Chemotherapeutic Options for Advanced-Stage Colorectal Carcinoma

“…Therefore we have studied the use of immunotherapy following surgery for colorectal cancer, when it is well established that there will be depression of immunity [7]. The immunostimulant chosen for these trials was levamisole which is administered orally and it restore cellular immunity which was depressed by Surgery [15]. After commencement of the trial, evidence emerged of a possible detrimental effect on survival associated with levamisole.…”

Immunotherapy of Lung Cancer

“…Levamisole, an oral antihelminthic drug, is considered an immunoreconstituting agent or an antianergic agent, 5,6,17,21,35,36,53,73,123,128 It restores depressed immune responses to normal, although it does not stimulate them to a level above the norm. 6 Primarily affected are host defense cells that have the capacity to circulate and thus are able to enter the invaded areas of the body to eliminate the invading cells.…”