[Effect of endoscopic local injection of OK-432 on regional lymph nodes in gastric cancer patients].

The effects of OK-432, a streptococcal preparation, administered intratumorally (OK-432 i.t.) on the change of lymphocyte subsets of regional lymph nodes were investigated in 26 gastric cancer patients. The results were as follows: 1) In the proximal lymph nodes, both non-metastatic and metastatic lymph nodes, and the proportion of CD3+ cells were slightly increased. 2) In the proximal lymph nodes without metastasis, the proportion of CD4+2H4+ cells and CD4+4B4- cells was increased about 10%. 3) In 4 of 15 patients who had metastatic lymph nodes macroscopic changes of the tumor and necrosis of metastatic lymph nodes by OK-432 i.t. were observed. In these lymph nodes CD8-CD11+ cells increased over 40%. These data suggested that the lymph node lymphocyte reaction by OK-432 i.t. may differ between metastatic lymph nodes and non-metastatic lymph nodes.