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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.

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 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.