[Effect of therapeutic irradiation on the immune responses]

The immune responses of patients with lung cancer undergoing therapeutic irradiation were evaluated. Absolute lymphocyte counts, PPD skin test, PHA skin test and in vitro lymphocyte transformation test with PHA were performed on each patient before and after 40 Gy irradiation. The values of these parameters were depressed as the increment of the irradiated dose, OK-432 and PS-K administration combined with radiotherapy suppressed the depression of the PHA skin test reactivity and in vitro lymphocyte transformation with PHA. Adding to the effect on immune response of the whole body, the local radiation effect on immunological reaction of tumor tissue was also evaluated.