[T-Lymphocyte shifts in patients with melanoma and bronchogenic carcinoma (author's transl)].
Lymphocyte subpopulations were investigated in 32 patients with malignant melanoma, 25 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and 59 control subjects. Whereas the determination of membrane immunoglobulin-bearing lymphocytes and of complement receptor-bearing lymphocytes gave comparable results in the tumour patient and control group, significant differences were found in the T-lymphocyte population using the sheep red blood cell (SRBC) assay. The so-called "active" Wybran rosette test, which characterizes a T-cell subpopulation with an especially avid receptor for SRBC, gave significantly lower results in patients with melanoma (25% control 35%, p less than 0.01) and bronchogenic carcinoma (21% control 35% p less than 0.01). Determination of the total T-cell population using the Jondal rosette assay gave significantly lower values in the patients with melanoma (52%, control 63%, p less than 0.01), but not in those with lung cancer (65%). Low rosette values were detected even at low histological invasion levels (classified according to Clark) in the patients with melanoma. No correlation was found between the invasion level and the percentage of rosette-forming cells. The significance of these findings and the value of the rosette assay in the assessment of the immunological reactivity of tumour patients is discussed.