The effect of levamisole on postoperative immunosuppression

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Colorectal cancer surgery can impair cell-mediated immunity.
• T lymphocytes play a crucial role in immune responses against cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of levamisole on cell-mediated immunity in colorectal cancer patients post-surgery.
• To assess levamisole's impact on both specific and non-specific T lymphocyte activity.

Main Methods:

• Enumeration of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes.
• Measurement of non-specific T lymphocyte activity via phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced blastogenesis.
• Assessment of specific T lymphocyte activity using leucocyte migration inhibition assays with PPD and tumor extract.
• Comparison between a levamisole-treated group and a control group.

Main Results:

• The levamisole group showed a faster return to preoperative levels of leucocyte migration inhibition to PPD and tumor extract.
• Levamisole had a minimal effect on postoperative depression of T lymphocyte cell counts.
• Levamisole did not restore the depressed lymphoblast transformation observed post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative levamisole administration can enhance specific T lymphocyte responses in colorectal cancer patients.
• Levamisole's efficacy in restoring overall cell-mediated immunity, including non-specific activity, after surgery is limited.