Adjuvant immunotherapy of carcinoma colli with levamisole: Prevention of immunological depression following surgical therapy and radiotherapy

Abstract

Of 57 patients with carcinoma colli who underwent radical surgery followed by radiotherapy, 15 were treated with levamisole at a dose level of 150 mg a day for 3 consecutive days, every other week, starting 3 days before surgery. Another 17 patients received levamisole in the same manner except that the administration started simultaneously with post-operative radiotherapy. The immune competence of patients was determined in terms of immune globulin level, DNCB test, PHA skin test and lymphocyte blastogenic response to PHA, and was compared between the levamisole-treated group and the control group. Levamisole had little influence on immune globulin levels and skin reactions to PHA. The DNCB test after levamisole therapy showed no difference in the rate of positive response to DNCB between the levamisole group and the control group. Levamisole, when started before surgery, prevented the postoperative depression of lymphocyte responsiveness to to PHA and could more or less enhance the lymphocyte blast formation that had been depressed by radiotherapy.