Further studies on the serological effects of C. parvum immunotherapy in cancer patients.

Previous serological studies undertaken in our laboratory have shown that the repeated administration of small doses of C. parvum to a small group of cancer patients resulted in a consistant increase in the levels of IgG (especially the IgG2b subclass), the development of antibodies to C. parvum and the transient appearance of 'rheumatoid factor like' substances in the serum (Br. J. Cancer, 32, 310, 1975). In the present paper we report the results of similar studies in small numbers of (a) inoperable bronchogenic carcinoma patients receiving combined C. parvum and cyclophosphamide therapy, and (b) brain glioma patients receiving intracerebral injection of C. parvum. As might be expected some of the serological changes observed in these patients were not as marked as previously noted. Nevertheless a number of the patients developed autoantibodies which were detectable by the latex and Ripley procedures but not by the Rose-Waaler test. There was no evidence of antinuclear factors by the fluorescence procedure.