Comparison of immune parameters in patients with one or two primary malignant neoplasms.

The purpose of this study was to correlate cellular immune responses and cytokine production in vitro between patients with one or two primary malignant neoplasms. One hundred and ninety-three patients (110 patients with one primary malignant neoplasm (group I), and 83 patients with two primary tumors (group II), entered this study. Mononuclear cells isolated from peripheral blood were tested in the following tests: (a) proliferative responses in the autologous and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (auto- and allo-MLR respectively): (b) natural killer cell activity; (c) production of interleukin-2 during the allo-MLR, and (d) interleukin-1 beta production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes. All these parameters were found to be decreased in cancer patients as compared to normal donors (p < 10(-3)). In addition, we were able to detect significant differences between the values obtained from patients in groups I and II (p < 10(-2)). These data suggest a further impairment in cancer patients' immune status after the diagnosis of a second malignancy.