[Clinical practice of systemic hyperthermia therapy and immune reactions of the host].

The effect of extracorporeally induced total-body hyperthermia (TBHT) on host immunocompetence was described. 1) Partial response (more than 50% of tumor regression) was observed in 4 of 13 evaluable patients and pain relief was obtained in 3 of 6 patients who had been suffered from pain before receiving TBHT. 2) In vitro hyperthermia (39 degrees, 42 degrees C) depressed the cytotoxic activity of murine lymphocytes against MH-134 cells as well as PHA-induced blastogenesis. In vitro hyperthermia (42 degrees C) also resulted in a marked decrease in the capability of E-rosetting and PHA-induced blastogenesis of human lymphocytes. However, human lymphocytes blastogenesis was enhanced after in vitro heating at 39 degrees C. 3) E-rosetting capability and PHA-induced blastogenesis of lymphocytes were depressed just immediately after the treatment in patients treated with TBHT, which returned to pretreatment levels within a week. 4) Decreased PHA and PPD skin reactions remained up to 3 weeks after the last TBHT. 5) Serum levels of immunoglobulin, complement and alpha 2-macroglobulin were slightly affected by TBHT, and serum haptoglobin showed a tendency to decrease.