Generation and decay of the immune response to a progressive fibrosarcoma. II. Failure to demonstrate postexcision immunity after the onset of T cell-mediated suppression of immunity.

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Abstract
Surgical removal of the [mouse] meth A fibrosarcoma from its semisyngeneic host fails to result in postexcision immunity to growth of a tumor implant unless the host already has acquired a mechanism of concomitant immunity to growth of an implant. Tumor excision does not cause immunity to be generated by preserves a mechanism of concomitant immunity that already exists and which otherwise would eventually undergo down-regulation under the influence of suppressor T cells. Removal of the tumor after it has grown large enough to cause the T cell-mediated suppression of concomitant immunity does not result in the reemergence of immunity. The host remains unable to generate concomitant immunity to a 2nd tumor for a long period of time and retains, for at least 31 days, suppressor T cells able to passively transfer suppression to appropriate recipients. Like the suppressor T cells responsible for active suppression of concomitant immunity, the suppressor T cells responsible for memory suppression are of the Ly-1+2- phenotype. Progressive tumor growth results in a state of immunological tolerance of tumor-specific, transplantation antigens that can persist in the apparent absence of tumor antigens.