[Pre-operative irradiation and tumor-specific immune response in hypernephroid renal carcinoma (author's transl)]

In vitro demonstration of a tumor-specific immune response was tried using the so-called leucoycte migration test in altogether 32 patients with a hypernephroid renal carcinoma (nontreated before operation or pre-irradiated). The principle of this technique consists in the release of a lymphocyte factor by bringing in contact sensitized lymphocytes with the concerned tumourous tissue, the lymphocyte factor inhibiting the migration capacity of granulocytes. With hypernephroid cancerous tissue from nontreated patients no reaction was obtained in 12 of 13 cases (no inhibition of migration), whereas a positive reaction (inhibition of leuococyte migration) was observed in 17 out of 19 patients with hypernephromas having been irradiated before surgical treatment. This radiation-induced effect on the immune response from hypernephroma and lymphocytes in patients with this neoplasm is specific, as no reaction of irradiated hypernephroid cancerous tissue with lymphocytes of sound donors or of patients with different malignant tumors could be shown in control tests, a significant inhibition of leucocyte migration failing to appear.