Cell-mediated immune competence in patients with prostatic carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Urology

Background:

• Host immune factors may influence cancer progression.
• Understanding immune competence in prostate cancer is crucial for treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the immune competence of prostate cancer patients.
• To determine the contribution of host immunity to disease progression.

Main Methods:

• Assessed immune competence using 2 in vivo and 2 in vitro tests.
• Included 65 prostate cancer patients and controls with benign prostatic hypertrophy.
• Evaluated delayed skin hypersensitivity and dinitrochlorobenzene sensitization.
• Measured peripheral blood lymphocyte blastogenic response to phytohemagglutinin.

Main Results:

• Delayed skin hypersensitivity response to recall antigens remained unaltered in advanced malignancy.
• Dinitrochlorobenzene sensitization significantly declined in patients with metastatic disease.
• Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte response was not depressed in late-stage cancer.

Conclusions:

• Immune competence in prostate cancer patients does not markedly decrease, even in late stages.
• Primary sensitization to dinitrochlorobenzene is the only tested immune response that declines with tumor stage.