Cellular Immune Status In Patients With Cancer Of The Oral Cavity

Abstract

Cellular Immune Status was observed in 70 patients of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity by in vitzo observation of absolute lymphocyte counts, T-cell counts and lymphocytes blastogenesis to PHA. The results were compared with 40 age matched normal controls. Absolute lymphooy te counts, absolute T-cell, T-rosette forming cells and blastogenic indax was significantly lower in oral cancer (P <.001) as compared to normal controls and further gradual decrease with increasing clinical stage, Well differentiated tumours were associated with higher T-cell counts and blastogenic index than the poorly differentiated tumours. The observations implies that the cellular immune showel a Tesponse is invariably impaired in oral cancer patients and is related to the malignant process in the host. The significant depression of absolute lymphocyte counts, T-cell counts and blastogenic index suggest that the existence of tumours mass itself may play an active role in subverting the host immune competence.