[Disorders of the immune system in benign lesions and cancer of the breast].

Immunologic vigor was studied in 225 cases of breast cancer at various stages, 99 patients with benign lesions of the breast and 154 healthy donors. The parameters of cell-mediated immunity under study included total, active and neuraminidase T-lymphocyte levels, concentration of T-lymphocyte subsets (Tm, T gamma, theophylline--sensitive and theophylline--resistant) and their profile, functional activity of lymphocytes in blastogenic reaction with PHA and natural killer levels. Also, such humoral immunity indexes as B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins A, M and C were evaluated. Significant changes in functional activity of the immune system (mainly, its T-cell--mediated component) were identified as early as at the initial stages of breast cancer development and they became more pronounced as tumor advanced. Also, at initial stages, both T-lymphocyte and natural killer functional activity started to flag.