Defective interleukin-1 production of monocytes in patients with bladder cancer.

Patients with advanced malignant neoplasms have a variety of abnormal lymphocyte and monocyte functions. We examined the PHA (phytohaemagglutinin) blastogenic response of lymphocytes and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production of monocytes in 40 bladder cancer patients and 16 control subjects. The correlation between the 2 parameters was also studied. The PHA blastogenic response was measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into lymphocytes. IL-1 production was assayed by the murine thymocyte 3H-thymidine incorporation assay. As a result, the PHA blastogenic response and IL-1 production were significantly lower in the high stage bladder cancer patients compared to the control subjects and low stage patients. However, there was no significant correlation between the 2 parameters. Furthermore, with the addition of indomethacin, IL-1 production in the control subjects and low stage patients improved to the same degree, but it did not reach the control level in the high stage patients.