[T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. Study on 113 patients with malignant melanoma]

In the present study, we determined the absolute and the percental numbers of T-lymphocytes in 113 patients with malignant melanomas, of whom 50 had metastases and 63 did not. The findings were compared to those in a control group of 22 persons. The patients with melanomas were divided up into clinical stages: stage I (primary tumour), II (metastases in the local lymph nodes), and stage III (systemic metastases). There was a statistically significant reduction of T-lymphocytes in all patients with melanomas, but there were no significant differences between the three stages. Therapy with DTIC did not lead to any major reduction in T-lymphocytes, possibly because of subsequent treatment with BCG. We found no clear correlation between the reduction of T-lymphocytes and an unfavourable prognosis.