Lymphocyte subpopulation in primary lung cancer.

To determine whether impaired cellular immune responsiveness in lung cancer patients is related to a reduction in the number of T lymphocytes, circulating levels of T-rosette-forming lymphocytes were measured in 48 cases with primary lung cancer and compared to levels in 94 age-matched healthy subjects. The results show that T lymphocytes levels are significantly reduced in lung cancer patients. A possible consequence of reduced numbers of circulating T lymphocytes would be a diminution in tumor-inhibiting (T-cell) influences and a corresponding relative enhancement of blocking (B-cell) influences, a circumstance which would favor tumor proliferation.