EFFECTS OF CORYNEBACTERIUM-PARVUM AND BCG THERAPY ON IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH DISSEMINATED MELANOMA - SEQUENTIAL STUDY OVER 28 DAYS .1. CHANGES IN BLOOD COUNTS, SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULINS AND LYMPHOID-CELL POPULATIONS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (1) , 36-44
Abstract
The effects of a single immunization of melanoma patients with BCG or C. parvum [Propionibacterium acnes] on blood counts, serum immunoglobulin levels and lymphoid subpopulations were followed by multiple assays over 28 days. C. parvum produced a decrease in the white cell count, lymphocyte count and lymphoid T [thymus derived] and sIg+ [surface immunoglobulin positive] cell numbers, which recovered within 1 wk; BCG did not produce such a marked depression. Both agents were associated with increases in T cell numbers and lymphocyte PHA [phytohemagglutinin] blastogenesis after the 1st wk; these declined to pre-immunization values by 3-4 wk. The sIg-bearing cell subpopulation also increased after BCG. Different methods of expressing the results were compared and the difficulties of immunological monitoring are discussed.