Neck node immunoactivity in head and neck cancer

Current conventional treatment for head and neck cancer is a non-specific approach which erradicates not only disease-containing but non-disease containing tissue. It was unknown whether or not this is a desirable feature. The experiments described in this report were designed to evaluate the regional immunoreactivity of lymphocytes derived from human neck nodes in patients with head and neck cancer. The stem cell assay was used to evaluate tumor-lymphocyte interactions. The results demonstrate that there is an active regional immune system within the neck nodes. This regional immune system is capable of being immunomodulated with non-specific immune stimulants. These results support the need to further study the regional immune system of the cervical lymphatics and to further pursue tumor-specific treatment programs.