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The authors studied comparatively a number of indices of nonspecific immune protection in 32 patients with paraneoplasia, in 34 patients with malignant (19) and benign (15) skin neoplasms, and also in 20 healthy persons. It has been found that in patients with paraneoplasias and skin cancer the most sensitive tests for decreased immune responses are as follows: qualitative and quantitative changes in the autoflora of non-involved skin covers, lysozyme titre and general bactericidity of blood serum. A progressive increase of dissemination of the skin cover against the background of the reduced lysozyme titre and general bactericidity of blood serum and also the appearance of C-reactive protein in serum render it reasonable to suspect malignant tumor process in patients suffering eczema, psoriasis and other skin lesions.

One of the methods reflecting the state of antitumor cell immunity is skin allergic reaction of delayed hypersensitivity to injection of antitumor antigen, which together with other indices is believed to be of certain importance in estimating the immune response of the cancer patient organism. The authors compared quantitative and morphological changes in blood basophilic granulocytes and the data of skin allergic reaction. The results of studies conducted indicated that changes in the quantity and degranulation of basophilic leucocytes may be used along with skin allergic response of delayed hypersensitivity as one of the criteria for estimation of the degree of sensibilization of the organism of gastric cancer patients.

The results of treatment in 674 oncological patients in a special department of accessory therapy have been studied. The patients admitted were previously subjected to various kinds of radical surgery. The analysis has evidenced that due to a careful dynamic exploration of patients and pathogenetic therapy with a protective regimen and labor therapy, the results of surgical treatment in patients with cancer of the stomach, lung and mammary gland were found to be considerably improved. This is especially evident from observations over patients with lung cancer. Among 168 patients followed up since 1965 up to date 126 patients (75%) show no signs of tumor recurrence. Thus, there can be no doubts as to the rationality of further elaboration of rehabilitation measures in oncological patients.

This work sums up the immunological studies performed clinically and delineates the trends of further investigations in active non-specific, specific and passive immunotherapy associated with other methods of the treatment--irradiation, surgery, chemotherapy. There are offered 4 phases of the clinical study on the immunological effect on normalization of the cellular and humoral immunity responses in oncological patients: phase I--selecting of the dosage, phase II--studying of the effectiveness of immunostimulation, phase III--a detailed comparative study of new chemical drugs, phase IV--estimating the effectiveness of different schemes of immunotherapy including the combination treatment of oncological patients.

In 95 workers engaged in benzidine production the results of the cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity response to the injection of tissue embryonal antigen were studied, 76 of them were additionally examined for application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Studies on the state of the immune response of the workers' organism were conducted in association with clinical and cytoscopic findings. The immunological tests applied during prophylactic examinations revealed, according to objective signs, a group of persons with immunological defects. And just in this group pretumor conditions and occupational vesical tumors were detected. The results of the authors' observations made it possible to recommend an application of the tests reflecting the state of cell immunity, to determine immunological defects in such workers as adjuvant methods for periodic prophylactic examinations.

Under study were the factors of antitumor immunity (RHDT, the reaction of microprecipitation, the functional activity of lymphocytes, RFC and RBT) in 104 patients with cancer of the corpus uteri. It was found that most patients show an impaired immunobiological response, manifested in higher percentage of positive results with RHDT performed with the tumor antigen, and the reaction of microprecipitation with tumor and embryonal antigens, more week RFC and RBT. Immunological indices are getting worse with the process spread and are improved following the combination therapy. The process of treatment however (surgery and radiotherapy) renders a negative effect on immune indices. Normalization of the latter is noted not earlier than 1-3 years after the treatment.

The work is concerned with studies of the polysaccharide complex (PSC) of human ovarian tumor--ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma in the Hoigne microprecipitation reaction. It was found that PSC of ovarian tumor tissue is a serologically active preparation. However, the results of the investigation as well as the potentialities of the technic used makes it impossible to state definitely the specificity of the ovarian tumor PCS in the Hoigne microprecipitation reaction.

The study was concerned with the dynamics of correlations between IgA, IgM and IgG levels involved in pigmented neoplasm development in 154 cancer patients and 75 healthy subjects. The dynamics was found to represent stages of tumor development rather than changes in absolute indexes of serum immunoglobulin concentrations. The nature of changes in the structure of correlations suggested a possible switch from IgM to IgG and IgM to IgA secretion, i.e. disturbances in B-lymphocyte differentiation. Said changes were observed at a certain stage of melanoma progression, namely, during metastatic spreading.

Under study were immunological indices--the reaction of microprecipitation (tumor and embryonal antigens) and HRDT (tumor and tuberculine antigens) in 305 patients with cancer of the uterine cervix. It was found that most patients showed impaired immune responses: an increased number of persons with specific antibodies circulating in blood serum and increased hypersensitivity of of delayed type. The percentage of positive reactions of microprecipitation and HRDT increases as the tumor spreads. The methods of combined therapy generally improve immunological indices, however, the process starts 1-3 years following the treatment.

The importance of immune response indices in tumor patients is discussed on the basis of literature data and the author's findings. Although a correlation between clinical course of malignant disease and the patient's immunocompetence was established, the relationship of immune response indices and clinical TNM staging is not stable. Reasons are given for introducing U-criterion of immune response evaluation into TNM classification. The relationship between immune response in cancer patients and type of therapy as well as the practical importance of this parameter are discussed.