E and EAC rosette-forming cells in healthy donors and cancer patients

The influence of age and sex on the lymphocyte count and numbers of E and EAC rosette-forming cells (RFC) was investigated using peripheral blood of healthy donors. In the female donors we found a lower total lymphocyte count and percentage of EAC RFC than in male donors. The percentage and total number of E RFC appeared to be low in younger donors. Total lymphocyte count and numbers of E and EAC RFC were investigated in untreated and treated patients with advanced solid tumors and in patients with untreated malignant lymphomas. The lymphocyte count in all these groups was decreased, but the E/EAC RFC ratio was normal, except in the group with untreated solid tumors, where we found an increased percentage of E RFC. It is suggested that in these patients a nonspecific impairment of bone marrow function might be expressed in numbers of peripheral T and B cells.