[Effect of an anabolic steroid on the cellular immunity and postoperative evaluation of uterine cervical cancer].

The effects of an anabolic steroid on the immune activity and clinical condition of patients with cancer of the uterine cervix were studied. The effects of the steroid on tumor growth were also studied in animals. The results obtained demonstrated that the anabolic steroid (1) enhanced the activity of macrophages and cell-mediated immune activity, (2) reduced the incidence of post-operative infection, (3) reduced pose-operative loss of weight of patients due to the intrinsic anabolic activity of the steroid, and (4) did not exert any influence on tumor growth. Judging from these results, administration of the anabolic steroid would appear to be effective for the improvement of the general condition of cancer patients following surgery or in terminal cases.