Interferon gamma and interleukin-2 secretion in whole blood cell cultures from small-cell lung cancer patients

Secretion of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) in whole blood cell cultures after phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulation was evaluated in 42 small-cell lung cancer patients before treatment. Blood cultures from patients with extensive and limited disease have lower IFNgamma secretions after PWM stimulation and lower IL-2 secretions after PWM and PHA stimulation, but this was not statistically significant. IFNgamma but not IL-2 secretion was significantly higher after PWM stimulation in cultures from patients with better clinical performance status (0 + 1, WHO scale). Blood cultures from patients with tumor regression after treatment had a higher secretion of IFNgamma after PWM stimulation. In contrast, blood cultures from patients with a poor prognosis had significantly lower IL-2 and IFNgamma secretions after stimulation with PWM, and a lower IL-2 secretion after stimulation with PHA.