Immune Alterations in Hodgkin's Disease

Abstract

Delayed hypersensitivity was studied in 103 untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease in all four stages, using six skin test antigens. Forty-three had phytohemagglutininstimulated peripheral leukocyte cultures. Four- to five-year follow-up data relate initial skin test reactivity and lymphocyte transformation to course and survival. Only 11.7% failed to react to any of the six skin tests. Anergy incidence increased with stage. Mumps and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) most frequently yielded positive re- actions. Reactivity correlated with the absence of systemic symptoms as well as with histologic type, and did not correlate with course and survival when compared by stage. Nor did phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte transformation correlate with survival, frequency of relapse, or remission duration. Initial delayed hypersensitivity and lymphocyte transformation does not influence prognosis and survival in Hodgkin's disease.