A Study of Skin Homografting in Patients with Lymphomas

Abstract

Skin homografts were performed on seven patients with lymphomas, three patients with miscellaneous conditions affecting their RE system and four control patients. The ability to reject skin homograft was impaired in most of the patients with lymphomas, in a patient with bronchogenic carcinoma who had received extensive treatment, and in a patient with multiple myeloma. The presence of normal amounts of gamma globulin and normal response to typhoid antigen did not necessarily indicate a normal response to skin homografts. If marrow homotransplants or other organ homotransplants become a form of therapy in patients with lymphomas, the result of skin grafts from the same donor may be of interest. Our study supports the previous impressions of the immunologic handicaps in patients with lymphomas.