Journal Article Differences in the Tumor-Associated Reactivity of Blood Lymphocytes and Tumor-Draining Lymph Node Cells in Sarcoma Patients Get access Farkas Vánky, Farkas Vánky Department of Tumor Biology, Karolinska Institutet; Radiumhemmet, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Department of Surgery, Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Jan Stjernswärd, Jan Stjernswärd Department of Tumor Biology, Karolinska Institutet; Radiumhemmet, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Department of Surgery, Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Ulf Nilsonne, Ulf Nilsonne Department of Tumor Biology, Karolinska Institutet; Radiumhemmet, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Department of Surgery, Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Rolf Sundblad Rolf Sundblad Department of Tumor Biology, Karolinska Institutet; Radiumhemmet, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Department of Surgery, Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 51, Issue 1, July 1973, Pages 17–24, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/51.1.17 Published: 01 July 1973 Article history Received: 05 December 1972 Accepted: 07 March 1973 Published: 01 July 1973
Specimens from biopsies of human sarcomas and other tumors treated with mitomycin C stimulated autochthonous lymphocytes to increased DNA synthesis in the mixed lymphocyte target-interaction test. Autochthonous sera from patients with tumors inhibited the stimulatory effect. A collection of allogeneic sera was tested against one fibrosarcoma-lymphocyte combination that gave a regularly positive stimulatory interaction. The sera of patients with sarcomas blocked the lymphocyte-stimulating interaction significantly, but not of patients with other tumors, and of most healthy controls. The blocking effect of serum from a patient with fibrosarcoma diminished temporarily after the tumor was excised.
The incidence of acute infections in eight patients with osteosarcoma who are receiving interferon regularly is currently being compared with the incidence among their family members. Observations thus far indicate that the patients treated with interferon are less frequently and less severely ill than their untreated family contacts. The study is continuing, and the patients will also be observed after discontinuation of interferon treatment. Sera are regularly frozen for future viral serologic tests. The preliminary clinical data indicate that therapy with exogenous interferon may afford protection against common acute infections.
