Defective monocyte killing in patients with malignancies and restoration of function during chemotherapy

Spontaneous monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (SMMC) in 34 patients treated with a chemotherapeutic regimen including cisplatin for various malignancies was depressed (median 7% 51Cr release) compared with SMMC in 31 normal controls (median 43%; p < 0.0001). Cytotoxicity in 7 patients with stage III or IV ovarian carcinoma was then followed during six cycles of chemotherapy with a cisplatin-containing regimen. All patients had initial cytotoxic values of < 8%, and in all SMMC increased at least three-fold between the third and fifth cycle of chemotherapy. This study lends support to the concept that cancer patients have depressed monocyte function. Cisplatin-containing chemotherapy seems to enhance monocyte function in vitro and in vivo.