[Nonspecific immunity in cancer of the internal organs and skin]

The authors studied comparatively a number of indices of nonspecific immune protection in 32 patients with paraneoplasia, in 34 patients with malignant (19) and benign (15) skin neoplasms, and also in 20 healthy persons. It has been found that in patients with paraneoplasias and skin cancer the most sensitive tests for decreased immune responses are as follows: qualitative and quantitative changes in the autoflora of non-involved skin covers, lysozyme titre and general bactericidity of blood serum. A progressive increase of dissemination of the skin cover against the background of the reduced lysozyme titre and general bactericidity of blood serum and also the appearance of C-reactive protein in serum render it reasonable to suspect malignant tumor process in patients suffering eczema, psoriasis and other skin lesions.