[Macrophagic transformation inhibition phenomenon of peripheral blood mononucleocytes in breast cancer]

Macrophagal transformation of mononuclear cells of peripheral blood was evaluated quantitatively in vitro. The study group included 60 patients with breast cancer stages II-IV and 50 healthy subjects. Transformation of mononuclear cells to macrophages in breast cancer patients, particularly, in advanced cases, was found to be reduced, as compared with healthy controls. The serum of cancer patients contains an inhibitor of this process. This was confirmed by mononuclear cell transformation being inhibited both in patients and controls on addition of the serum of cancer patients to both cultures. The function of tumor patients' cells was partially restored, when serum of healthy controls was added. It is suggested to use macrophagal transformation as a test for immunologic examination of tumor patients.