Immunity in esophageal carcinoma

✍ Scribed by S. H. Advani; P. M. Kutty; R. Gopal; S. Swaroop; C. N. Nair; K. A. Dinshaw; S. R. Damle; J. S. Nadkarni; P. N. Akolkar; B. P. Gothaskar; J. J. Vyas; P. B. Desai

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 457 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-4790
• DOI: 10.1002/jso.2930240406

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In carcinoma of the esophagus, response to in vivo sensitization with recall antigens and DNCB was markedly depressed with 13% and 16% positivity respectively. Similarly, the number of T‐cells was found to be significantly low (24 ± 14) as compared to normal control (61 ± 23). Blastogenesis index with PHA was only 1.75 ± 1.04 in contrast to normal of 6.79 ± 2.57. This depression was independent of serum albumin level and body weight. Cell‐mediated immunity was further depressed following radiotherapy and did not improve following enteral alimentation for 3 weeks. In untreated patients, there was a significant rise in levels of IgA (298 ± 184 mg/100 ml) as compared to normal (154 ± 54 mg/100 ml). Levels of IgA did show a downward trend following enteral hyperalimentation. Circulating immune complexes and serum CEA level were elevated in almost 50% of patients. These data confirm the influence of tumor‐related impairment of cell‐mediated immunity while nutrition appears to affect IgA levels.