Phagocytosis and peroxidase activity in neutrophils from peripheral blood of patients with malignant tumours of lung, stomach and large intestine.

The phagocytic activity as revealed by latex ingestion and cytochemically demonstrated peroxidase activity of neutrophils from peripheral blood was investigated in 26 patients with pulmonary cancer, 22 patients with gastric cancer and 8 patients with tumours of large intestine and compared with results obtained in 40 healthy individuals. Statistically significant differences were found in case of both parameters between patients with pulmonary cancer and those with tumours of large intestine. The lowered phagocytic activity of neutrophils was accompanied by an enhanced peroxidase activity and vice versa. No statistically significant differences were observed, however, between the investigated groups of patients with cancer and the control group.