SerumAcute-PhaseProteinsand Immunoglobulins in Patientswith Gliomas

MATERIALS AND METHODS Cellular immune competence was found to be impaired in previous studies of patients with malignant brain tumors. In patients with nonneumaltumors, we recently found that serum levels of acute-phase proteins were related to im mune status as well as to tumor extent. To determine whether the serum proteins in patients with central nervous system tumors show similar changes, levels of acute-phase proteins (a1-acid glycoprotein, a,-antitmypsin, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein) and immunoglobulins (immunoglobu lins G, M, and A) were assayed in patients with gliomas prior to treatment. Compared to normals, significant in creases (p < 0.001) in the acute-phase proteins were found, and the levels were similar to those in patients with non neural solid neoplasms. Serum immunoglobulins were not significantly increased in patients with gliomas.