Changes of the cellular immunity tests during the evolution of Hodgkin's disease

To detect the changes of cellular immunity which occur at the same time as the pathological process and to find out the possible biologic indicators with prognostic value, a study was carried out on 140 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) in different clinical periods: onset, under therapy (cytostatics and/or irradiations), remission, after splenectomy and under immunotherapy. The study of cellular immunity included the determination of lymphocytes subpopulations by the rosette tests and their functional estimation by tests of blastic transformation to mitogens and antigens. Though the values obtained presented a wide dispersion, the rosette tests showed variations in correlation with the clinical stage, therefore with the severity of disease. It was observed that therapy and splenectomy change the cellular immunity tests. The only test with a certain prognostic value was found to be the in vitro lymphocyte response to PPD which became positive after therapy, particularly in the group of patients who showed good response to treatment. A dynamic follow-up of the cellular immunity tests might give an indication on the mechanisms of production of the immune deficit in HD.