Lymphocyte function related to survival curves in patients with metastatic melanoma treated by chemoimmunotherapy

Thirty-eight patients with metastatic melanoma were evaluated immunologically prior to chemoimmunotherapy. The assays used included recall antigen skin hypersensitivity; lymphocyte count; nonspecific T, non-T, and K cell lymphocytotoxicity; and T and B cell rosette enumeration. Survival curves were computed for each of four ranges of values of a given immunologic test. The higher ranges of positive skin tests, lymphocyte count, cytotoxicity, and T and B subpopulation numbers were consistently associated with the longer survivals. The differences reached statistical significance for non-T cell cytotoxicity and B and T cell peripheral blood counts. Pretreatment immune reactivity, particularly that involvingg non-T cell function, appears related to length of survival.