Chemo-immunotherapy and immunological study in carcinoma of larynx and laryngopharynx

Eighteen of 25 patients had squamous cell carcinoma in the supraglottic region. Anergy to skin test antigen (DNCB) and T-cell mitogen (PHA) was observed in 17 patients with laryngeal and laryngopharyngeal malignancies. Chemo-immunotherapy did not improve the skin reactivity to either agents. However, a rise in absolute T-cell counts was observed following combined therapy. Moreover, T-lymphopenia was detected in the patient group prior to therapy as compared to mean T-cell counts in normal control subjects.