[Delayed-type skin reaction in children with malignant diseases]

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pediatric Oncology

Background:

• Delayed type hypersensitivity reactions assess cell-mediated immunity.
• The Multitest system provides standardized recall-antigen skin testing.
• Established reference ranges exist for children and adolescents aged 1-30 years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cell-mediated immunity in pediatric cancer patients using skin testing.
• To assess the impact of chemotherapy on immune responses.
• To determine the predictive value of immune status for treatment outcomes and relapse.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Multitest system to apply seven recall-antigens to 103 pediatric cancer patients.
• Compared skin test results between patient groups (leukemia/lymphoma, bone tumors, other) and a normal control group.
• Analyzed immune status at the beginning of and during chemotherapy.

Main Results:

• All tumor patient groups showed significantly decreased skin reactions or anergy compared to controls.
• Immune depression was more severe in systemic malignancies (leukemia/lymphoma) than solid tumors.
• Leukemia and lymphoma patients often improved during induction chemotherapy; lack of improvement suggested relapse.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric cancer patients exhibit impaired cell-mediated immunity, particularly those with systemic malignancies.
• Skin test reactivity can serve as an indicator of treatment response and potential relapse in leukemia and lymphoma.
• Immune monitoring may aid in managing pediatric cancer patients during chemotherapy.