Changes in T cell population in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.

Absolute numbers of T cells were measured in a series of 84 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and were compared with T cell percent with regard to clinical stage, course, and histologic type. Although T cell percent declined in accordance with the advancement of stage, the differences between the stages were not statistically significant. On the other hand, the absolute number of T cells decreased prominently in Stages III and IV as compared to Stages I and II (p less than 0.05 between Stages I and III, P less than 0.001 between Stages I and IV, and p less than 0.05 between Stages II and IV). Likewise in patients who were followed serially after resection, the absolute number of T cels correlated well with the postoperative course. These results lead us to the conclusion that it is more useful estimate the absolute T cell count rather than T cell percentage in lung cancer.