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An account is given of the experimental in vivo transfer of PPD-specific delayed hypersensitivity with a very small number of autologous lymphocytes pre-sensitised with PPD-specific transfer factor (TF). Transfer was assessed in 17 volunteers both in vivo by means of the Mantoux skin reaction, and in vitro by means of the leukocyte migration inhibition test, the lymphocyte locomotion test, and the leukocyte adherence inhibition test. Positivization of the tests suggests that TF triggers a reaction which expands the effect of hypersensitivity.

Cell-mediated immunity versus tumour antigens (cytosols) of the same histotype and site was evaluated by means of the lymphocyte locomotion (LL) assay in 46 colorectal adenocarcinoma and 41 breast ductal infiltrating carcinoma patients 36-220 months after surgical resection. Lymphocyte locomotion positivity was observed in 27/46 (58.7%) and 27/41 (65.9%) patients, respectively. These results indicate that a high percentage of long survivors retain an immunologic memory of the tumour antigen to which they have been exposed.

Cell-mediated immunity towards tumour antigens (cytosols) of the same histotype and site was evaluated by means of the LMI test in long survivors after surgical resection of adenocarcinoma of the colon, infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast, and squamous-cell carcinoma of the lung. A positive migration index (MI less than 85.0) was observed in 17/65 (26.2%) colon survivors, 7/18 (38.9%) breast survivors, and 1/19 (5.3%) lung survivors. 24.5% of all long survivors displayed an immunological memory of the antigen to which they had been exposed.

Cell-mediated immunity versus tumor antigens (cytosols) of the same histotype and site was evaluated by means of the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) test in 44 colorectal adenocarcinoma and 17 lung squamous-cell carcinoma patients 3-10 years after surgical resection. LAI-positivity was observed in 17/44 (38.6%) and 13/17 (76.5%) patients, respectively, together with serum blocking factors in 7/17 (41.2%) compared to 0/13. These results indicate that a high percentage of long survivors retain an immunologic memory of the tumor antigen to which they have been exposed. The prognostic significance of serum blocking factors is less clear.

The authors have evaluated general immunocompetence after cryosurgical treatment of 33 patients affected by oral squamous carcinoma. Patients have been divided into two groups: 17 of them were classifiable in 1st and 2nd stage and 16 of them in 3rd and 4th stages. Serum immunoglobulin levels, C3 - C4, peripheral lymphocytes, E-rosette forming cells, lymphocyte response to PHA were analyzed before a single cryotreatment 7 and 14 days after. The results indicate that immunological parameters vary in a significant way and can be constantly observed in 1st and 2nd stages, while the 3rd and 4th stages undergo no variations. Cryosurgery in the 1st and 2nd stages is able to modify, in particular, the parameters concerning cell - mediate immunity, although the phenomenon seems transitory, showing itself most on the seventh day.

As the Authors and Others have already demonstrated, cyclophosphamide leads to a rapid and prolonged decrease in the serum cholinesterase activity. In this work, the behaviour of the serum cholinesterase in patients subjected to C M F polychemotherapy (CTX, VCR, FU) has been studied. The grouping of patients on the basis of serum cholinesterase values before treatment has demonstrated that the enzymatic activity decrease arrives at level practically homogeneous. A month after interruption of therapy values equal to those at starting point have been observed.

In previous works the Authors have shown that cryosurgical treatment of oral squamous cell cancer modifies numerous aspecific immunological parameters mostly concerning the cell-mediated component. In the present work the Authors have studied the leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) response in vitro of peripheral blood leukocytes from patients affected by oral squamous cancer to oral tumor antigens using the leukocyte migration agarose test. The LMI was evaluated immediately before cryosurgical treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma and 7 and 14 days after. The results suggest that cryosurgery is able to stimulate the specific cell-mediated response of patients affected by early stage carcinoma of oral cavity.

The Authors have evaluated the serum cholinesterase activity in patients subjected to 2 different schemes of polychemotherapy: COP (CTX, VCR, Prednisone) and C-MOPP (CTX, VCR, PCZ, Prednisone). The two schemes involve the administration of cyclophosphamide that, as has already been proved, significantly lowers serum cholinesterase level after only a few hours. The Authors have observed that the combination of cyclophosphamide with other antiblastic drugs or a longer treatment have little influence on the down curve of the serum cholinesterase in relation to what they have observed after treatment with cyclophosphamide alone.

Gastrointestinal cancer-associated antigen (GICA) is detected by means of a monoclonal antibody in the serum and pathologic tissues of patients with gastrointestinal tumors. This article compares serum and salivary GICA and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in 19 healthy control subjects, 17 patients with benign oral cavity lesions, and 11 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Serum CEA levels were similar in all three groups, whereas salivary CEA levels were higher in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than in the control subjects (p less than 0.001) and the patients with benign lesions (p less than 0.025). Serum GICA levels gave the opposite result and were significantly lower in squamous cell cancer when compared with control subjects (p less than 0.0001) and patients with benign lesions (p less than 0.02). Values of GICA in saliva of patients with oral cancer were also lower than in the control subjects (p less than 0.02). The possible significance of this difference between the two antigens is discussed.

The authors have evaluated variations in salivary IgA, IgG, IgM levels after cryosurgical treatment of benign and malignant oral lesions. Salivary immunoglobulin levels were measured by radial immunodiffusion before a single cryotreatment 7 and 14 days after. Seven days after cryosurgery of the lesions, there was a statistically significant increase in salivary IgG and IgM levels (p less than 0,02). These results suggest that, at the time of maximal oral cavity inflammation, 7 days after cryotreatment, there was a transudation of these immunoglobulins from serum into saliva. Salivary IgA levels decrease in a significant way (p less than 0,02) on the 14th day; this behaviour seems to be strictly connected with tumor regression after cryosurgery.

The authors have evaluated general immunocompetence after cryosurgical treatment of 11 patients affected by benign oral lesions and of 17 patients affected by oral squamous carcinoma. Serum immunoglobulin levels, C3-C4, peripheral lymphocytes, E-rosette forming cells, lymphocyte response to PHA were analyzed before a single cryotreatment and 7 and 14 days after. In the patients affected by benign lesions the observed variations seem to suggest that in these cases cryosurgery has a merely mechanical action of extirpation of the lesion and the consequent extinction of the phenomena reactive to the same lesion. In cancer patients, cryosurgery modifies numerous immunological parameters mostly concerning the cell-mediate components.