Levels of Ia-like antigen bearing lymphocytes in patients with solid primary tumors

In patients with different types of solid tumors who had no detectable metastasis and had received no radio- and chemotherapy the levels of Ia-like antigen bearing lymphocytes was determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining of peripheral lymphocytes with xenoantisera to framework determinants of Ia-like antigens. The level of Ia-like antigen bearing lymphocytes was increased in patients with urinary bladder carcinoma, was decreased in patients with carcinoma of the gastro-intestinal tract and was within normal ranges in patients with melanoma, carcinomas of the breast, lung and genital tract. In patients with carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract as well as in patients with carcinoma of lung and genital tract the level of T lymphocytes measured by rosetting with sheep red blood cells, was reduced while it was not different from normal in other groups of patients. Determination of the level of lymphocyte subpopulations may provide information about the immunocompetence status of patients with solid tumors.