Impaired T cell function and decreased natural killer activity in patients with liver cirrhosis and their significance in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

It is well known that the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) is very high. We investigated the immunological state in patients with LC and HCC. T cell population of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and blast transformation of PBL by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) were significantly decreased in patients with LC. Natural killer activity against HeLa cell was also significantly decreased in these patients. These results suggest that immunological surveillance is impaired in patients with LC and this may be one of the aetiological factors in genesis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with LC.