[Immune evaluation of cervical cancer patients--alteration of peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations--(author's transl)].

Peripheral blood samples from 113 Japanese women, including 24 with dysplasia, 62 with cervical cancer and 19 healthy controls were studied to examine subpopulations of lymphocytes. T lymphocyte counts were done by SRBC rosette tests and B lymphocytes by immunobead rosette tests, respectively. There was a decreased number of total lymphocytes in patients with carcinoma in situ. Number of "active" T lymphocytes was significantly less in patients with carcinoma in situ, dysplasia, microinvasive cancer and advanced cancer than in healthy controls. "Total" T lymphocyte was also depressed in patients with carcinoma in situ. Number of "total" B lymphocytes was lower in patients with advanced cancer. The present findings suggest that cell-mediated immune function associated with T lymphocytes is responsible for the invasion and/or initiation of cervical cancer.