Monocyte changes in cancer patients and their role in mitogen induced lymphocyte responses.

Monocyte Fc receptor expression and monocyte-mediated antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) was studied in a group of patients with stomach and colorectal carcinoma. Is was found that FC receptor expression and ADCC was increased in patients as compared to control subjects. These differences were more evident after trypsin pretreatment of monocytes. There was an inverse correlation between these changes and lymphocyte response to PHA. The role of monocyte functional changes in determining the magnitude of patients' lymphocyte response is discussed.