[Suppressor activity induced by concanavalin A in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with solid malignant tumors].

The suppressor activity induced by Concanavalin A (Con A) was evaluated in peripheral lymphocytes from 20 patients with solid malignant tumors of different origin, that is: 9 lung epidermoid carcinomas; 6 breast adenocarcinomas and 5 melanomas. Simultaneously 10 normal control subjects were studied. No significant differences in the percentage of suppression were found in patients bearing breast adenocarcinoma and lung epidermoid carcinoma as compared to normal subjects. Melanoma patients, on the contrary, showed significant differences on the same test. On the other hand, the Con A lymphoproliferative response was found to be only significantly increased in the melanoma patients compared to normal controls. No differences were found in the percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes between patients and controls.