Specific attachment of T-lymphocytes from cancer patients to tumor cells.

The present study describes a new approach for detecting the immune reaction of peripheral blood lymphocytes of cancer patients against tumor antigens. T-lymphocytes from patients with carcinoma of the urinary bladder were found to attach specifically to monolayers of cells of urinary bladder carcinoma line (T24). The attached T-cells were identified by their capacity to form E-rosettes with sheep red blood cells. The number of rosette forming--target attached lymphocytes (RF--TAL) was 6 times higher in bladder carcinoma patients than in healthy controls or in patients bearing other types of cancer.