The evaluation of effect of radiotherapy on T and B lymphocytes with standard methods and monoclonal antibodies: results at 30 months.

We examined and evaluated the immunologic status of 15 patients suffering from neoplastic, not ematologic, diseases, who underwent external beam radiation therapy. We determined the total lymphocyte count, the percentage of E and EAC rosettes, surface membrane immunoglobulins, the lymphocyte reactivity to PWM and PHA, and T-lymphocyte subpopulations by means of monoclonal antibodies (OKT3-OKT4-OKT8). Besides we evaluated the percentage of LEU7 and OKM1 cells and lymphocytes response to MLR. Blastogenesis tests (PHA and MLR), after 18 months, were performed with and without monocytes. We found out that the amount of T and B lymphocyte subpopulations, which was extremely variable during and after radiotherapy, gradually returned to initial value. After 30 months, the functional impairment seems to be almost completely recovered. At 18 months from the beginning of radiation treatment, the mixed lymphocyte reaction was normal. The presence of monocytes doesn't change either MLR or PHA responses. LEU7+ cells are normal, while OKM1+ cells increased.