Diagnostic relevance of non-specific tumor associated immune dysfunctions

In this article we will recapitulate alterations of non-specific immune parameters associated with the presence of malignant tumors. Although not specific for certain tissues or tumor antigens, some of these phenomena appear very early in tumor development and exhibit high specificities for malignant proliferative processes in general. As an example of such a very sensitive indirect tumor marker, we will review our experiences with a characteristic tumor-associated shift in IgG subclasses, and we will show that this feature has considerable diagnostic potential in the early diagnosis of primary and/or secondary malignant diseases, particularly in cases where conventional serological markers are not available.