[Studies on immunological parameters in patients with gastric carcinoma--with special reference to analyses with monoclonal antibodies of T-lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-2].

We have investigated the distributions of T-lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-2 in peripheral blood of 62 patients with gastric carcinoma. The antibody (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, OKT4/8, Leu11, and Leu7) treated cells were analyzed on a Spectrum III automated flow cytometer. Interleukin-2 was measured by the tritium-labelled thymidine CTLL assay on the supernatants of peripheral blood lymphocytes of gastric cancer patients after 24 hours stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The number of OKT3, OKT4 cells and the ratio of OKT4/8 were decreased in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma compared with early gastric carcinoma. The numbers of Leu11 and Leu7 cells in patients with stage II and III were in higher levels than those with stage IV. Interleukin-2 production was depressed in patients in advanced stage compared with those of early stage. We concluded that the T-lymphocyte subsets and the interleukin-2 production were useful immunological parameters for gastric cancer patients.