Exercise, cancer and the immune response of monocytes.

We examined the influence of a regularly moderate endurance training program on qualitative and quantitative alterations of monocytes from 24 breast cancer patients. At the beginning, after 5 weeks and 7 months of bicycle training we analyzed the composition of leucocytes and phagocytotic activity of monocytes using two different methods under resting conditions. At the end of the study the amount of granulocytes was enhanced, but lymphocytes and monocytes were decreased. While the phagocytotic capacity of monocytes increased compared with receptor destroying enzyme-treated sheep red blood cells, phagocytosis against Anti D-loaded human erythrocytes did not change. These different results led us to suggest that physical exercise training increases the number of specific receptors in the surface membrane of monocytes.