Direct cytotoxicity test applied to patients in stage I and II of malignant skin melanoma

1432-0851

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Summary Using the direct cytotoxicity test described by Takasugi and Klein (1970), 59 patients suffering from localized malignant skin melanoma (stages I and II) were investigated for cell-mediated immunity. On an average, peripheral lymphocytes obtained preoperatively from 52 patients showed a higher cytotoxicity against one of two established melanoma cell lines (RPMI 7931) as compared to lymphocytes from control persons. No significant differences were found between lymphocytotoxicity of the patients and the controls against the control cell lines. In a prospective study, 17 patients were investigated. The results obtained so far suggest a correlation between a positive reaction postoperatively and recurrence of melanoma. It is clear that the control group exerted a certain degree of “nonspecific” cytotoxicity depending on the target cell used (established cell lines versus short-term cultures) and the lymphocyte/target cell ratio. Furthermore, there was a day-to-day variation in the nonspecific cytotoxicity exerted by lymphocytes derived from the same control person. It is concluded that considerable refinements have to be made before the microcytotoxicity assay becomes of clinical use in the evaluation of the postoperative status and course in melanoma patients. With the technical assistance of Marianne Barfod and Vibeke Ahrenkiel

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