[Changes in the cellular immune reaction in the course of acute lymphatic leukemia]

In a seven years course study the parameters of cellular immunoreaction were elaborated in more than 100 children by means of the lymphocyte transformation test and the macrophage migration inhibition test. The transformation response revealed a dependence on the stage, course of the disease and regime of therapy during the tests with unspecific, specific and tumorspecific antigens. Compared with all antigens the transformation in the first crisis and in the recidives is significantly lower than in the remission. In spite of continuous immunosuppressive therapy in a cytostatic treatment lasting for years, the increase of the transformation rates is concealed by the fact that a positive selection of children with favourable courses can be evaluated in single test groups with advancing time of illness. The results for the prognosis of the disease and the transformation rates depending on the age of disease and the cell type are identical. The result of reaction with leukaemic cells as antigens enables prognostic conclusions to be made during the time of remission. Tests with leukaemic cells in myeloic leukaemias reveal a marked dependence on stages. In lymphatic forms a proceeding influence of the responding capacity of the T-lymphocyte population must be assumed. The difference in the results of reaction in cells from different stages must be discussed in connection with a possible change of antigens.