Studies of the nonspecific cellular immune response in patients with urinary bladder carcinoma. I. PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation.

The nonspecific cellular immune response, as measured by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced blastoid transformation of peripheral lymphocytes in autologous serum, was evaluated in 119 patients with bladder carcinoma and in 21 control subjects. Blastoid transformation was determined by quantifying 3H-thymidine incorporation (counts per minute). The rate of blastogenesis of lymphocytes was shown as the stimulation index which was calculated by dividing the number of counts per minute with PHA by that without PHA. The stimulation index of the control subjects was 29.9 +/- 6.6 (+/- SD); that of the experimental group was 13.3 +/- 7 (significantly lower reactivity). There was a converse correlation between the stimulation index and the grade and stage of tumor. In some cases the change in cellular immunity was compared before and after surgery.