Immune response of regional lymph nodes in patients with lung cancer.

To clarify immune response of regional lymph nodes in 30 patients with lung cancer, the T cell population, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and Concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation and the T cell subpopulation bearing Ig-G Fc receptors (Tg cells) were tested concerning the clinical stage, histology and the lymph nodes locations. The T cell population, and PHA and ConA response rates in lymph nodes of stage I patients were grossly the same as those of benign lung diseases, but were statistically higher than those of stage III patients (p less than 0.025, p less than 0.005). Among the three histological types of lung cancer, regional lymph nodes of adenocarcinoma had the greatest T cell populations, and PHA and ConA responses. Concerning the location of lymph nodes, the closer the lymph nodes was to the tumor, the greater was its T cell population, and vice versa. However there was no difference in PHA and ConA responses. All lung cancer patients revealed a significant increase of Tg cells in regional lymph nodes and in their peripheral blood lymphocytes compared with peripheral blood lymphocytes in normal subjects (p less than 0.005).