Document 0240
 DOCN  M9460240
 TI    Selective depression of T-lymphocyte subsets in gastric cancer patients:
       an implication of immunotherapy.
 DT    9408
 AU    Lee WJ; Chang KJ; Lee CS; Chen KM; Department of Surgery, National
       Taiwan University Hospital,; Taipei, Republic of China.
 SO    J Surg Oncol. 1994 Mar;55(3):165-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94231774
 AB    The lymphocytes and their subsets were determined in the peripheral
       blood of 62 gastric cancer patients and 68 controls using fluorescent
       conjugated monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry (FACScan method). A
       significant increase in the total number of white blood cells from
       gastric cancer patients was noted in comparison to controls, but the
       percentage of lymphocytes was the same. The percentage of suppressor
       (cytotoxic) T cells (CD8) showed no difference in all stages of gastric
       cancer patients evaluated, but the percentage of helper (inducer) T
       cells (CD4) and the CD4/CD8 ratio decreased significantly in the
       advanced stages III and IV. Depression of the CD4/CD8 ratio was well
       correlated with tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and tumor size
       but not with sex, age, tumor location, gross type, or histologic
       differentiation. It appeared that the immune defect of gastric cancer
       patients was associated with the afferent arm (CD4) and worsened as the
       disease advanced. These results suggest that immunotherapy to stimulate
       the deficient immune system may play an important part in the
       multimodality treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer.
 DE    Cell Separation  *CD4-CD8 Ratio  Female  Flow Cytometry  Human
       Immunocompromised Host/*IMMUNOLOGY  Immunotherapy  Leukocyte Count  Male
       Middle Age  Stomach Neoplasms/BLOOD/*IMMUNOLOGY/THERAPY  Support,
       Non-U.S. Gov't  T-Lymphocyte Subsets/*CYTOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).