Chemiluminescence of granulocytes and monocytes in diluted whole blood samples: a tumor marker?

Granulocytes and monocytes can attack malignant cells by activated oxygen species. They thereby emit photons which may be measured as chemiluminescence (CL). The zymosan-induced and luminol-amplified CL response of granulocytes and monocytes was measured in diluted whole blood samples of healthy volunteers and patients with benign and malignant disease. In tumor patients the CL activity was significantly stimulated. Following tumor reduction by radical or palliative operations, the CL values decreased to normal within weeks, whereas no response was seen after exploratory laparotomy without tumor reduction. Operations for benign disease did not influence the CL activity. The results suggest that the stimulation of CL activity in tumor patients is reversible. CL measurements in whole blood samples may play a future role as a nonspecific tumor marker.