Immunology and immunotherapy of human breast cancer

Antibody production in cultured blood lymphocytes from breast cancer patients

“…Human breast cancer offers a useful model because several women with early and advanced disease have been extensively studied in the past years by conventional in vivo and in vitro immunological assays (Nathanson, 1977). However, in the in vitro studies the lymphoid cells have been generally triggered by the use of polyclonal activators, rather than by defined antigens.…”

“…Axillary nodes provide the first setting where antigen(s) released by the tumour stimulate the immunocompetent cells. Data from previous investigations suggest that locally-generated effector cells and their secretory products bring about a specific depression of the lymphocyte reactivity against non-tumour-related agents (recall antigens skin testing, PHA stimulation, mixed leukocyte reactions) (Whitthaker & Clark, 1971;Ellis et al, 1975;Whitehead et al, 1976;Nathanson, 1977;Adler et al, 1980;Cannon et al, 1981).…”

“…Breast cancer has been chosen because it is linked with several distinctive alterations of immune responsiveness both in peripheral blood lymphocytes and regional lymph nodes, which take place from the early stages of disease (Nathanson, 1977 Lymphocyte separation Human PBL were isolated from heparinized blood by Ficoll Hypaque density centrifugation (Boyum, 1968). The plasma on the top of the gradient and the cells at the interface were harvested.…”

Influence of Lymphocytes in Malignant Pleural Effusion on the Therapeutic Efficacy of Intrapleural OK-432 in Lung Cancer Patients

“…4-1 (Fig. 4-2 (18,19), gastric cancer (20,21), colon cancer (22,23), breast cancer (24), hepatocellular carcinoma (25), and bladder cancer (26). Ropponen et al showed that the level of infiltration in TILs is correlated with the prognosis, and when the level of infiltration is high, the prognosis is good (27).…”

Current aspects of immunotherapy in cancer

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EinfdhrungEs gibt Hinweise, dab ein maligner Tumor insbesondere in einem fortgeschrittenen Stadium zu einer Beeintr~ichtigung immunologischer Tumorabwehrmechanismen des Organismus ffihrt [4,5,12,20]. Diese Fakten bedeuten, dab sowohl eine quantitative als auch eine qualitative, d.h. funktionelle Beeintr~chtigung des Immunsystems erfo|gt, was anders formuliert auch einer Beeintr/ichtigung der sogenannten Immunkompetenz des Organismus entspricht.

Bis zum heutigen Zeitpunkt gibt es zwar verschiedene, tells experimentelle, teils klinische Ansfitze, dutch immunmodulatorische MaBnahmen eine Immunkompetenzsteigerung herbeizuRihren, jedoch fehlt es bislang an fiberzeugenden klinischen Ergebnissen.

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