[Immunologic disorders in lung malignancies and possibilities of immuno-corrective therapy]

The nonspecific immune competence was investigated in three groups of patients with bronchogenic lung cancer: group I (n = 30) was tested prior to any therapy; group II (n = 8) after radiotherapy; and group III (n = 13) after the end of combined radio and immunotherapeutical (Thymex-L) treatment. A total of 46 healthy persons served as control group. Both cellular (the number and function of T cells and mononuclear phagocytes) and humoral (the number of B cells and the levels of serum immunoglobulins and immune complexes) immune reactivity were tested. The number of T cells and B cells, as well as their function, were markedly depressed in a majority of patients before therapy; the number and reactivity of phagocytes were significantly higher in patients than in controls. The radiologic treatment caused further decrease of T cell number and function. The number of phagocytes was significantly higher than before radiotherapy. This treatment had no effect on the parameters of humoral immunity. All these parameters were less affected in patients who were simultaneously treated by irradiation and Thymex-L; no effect was seen on the humoral immunity, except the immune complexes, which returned to normal values only in that group of patients.