The Tennessee antigen test. An evaluation in cancer and non-cancer patients and normal subjects.

The Tennagen test has been evaluated in "normal" subjects, patients with cancer (predominantly colorectal) and patients with non-malignant disease. The incidence of positive values was found to be higher in patients with clinically active cancer than in those with benign conditions or normal subjects. In our hands the test fell far short of the 90% reliability previously claimed. This may be partly due to an underestimate of the upper normal limit in earlier studies. A small series of follow-up studies after resection for colorectal cancer have so far failed to reveal any advantage to be gained by Tennagen tests over existing methods, but these studied will be continued.

The SCM test for cancer. an evaluation in terms of lymphocytes from healthy donors and cancer patients.

The SCM test was established as originally described, and an attempt was made to evaluate it using myelin basic proteins. Various later modifications described by the original authors were incorporated as they were communicated to us. In separate studies attempts were also made to overcome some of the problems which seemed inherent in the technique. In the small series for which valid results were obtained we were unable to confirm the original claim that the method discriminates between cancer patient lymphocytes and those from non-cancer subjects with almost 99% reliability. Indeed, although differences were found between the mean SCM values of cancer patients and of healthy controls, these differences were not significant.

Response of lymphocytes from cancer patients to human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Positive responses to human chroionic gonadotrophin (H.C.G.) were observed in the macrophage electrophoretic mobility test when lymphocytes from 34/44 patients with various types of cancer and from 7/21 patients with non-malignant disease were tested. Lymphocytes from some pregnant women also responded but those from parous women who were not pregnant did not respond. Positive responses were also obtained with H.C.G. sub-units but not with luteinising hormone.

Collection of lymphocytes on a continuous-flow blood cell separator.

Lymphocytes have been collected by continuous flow leukapheresis from cancer patients (pre-treatment) and stored at -190 degrees C in liquid nitrogen as immunological support for intensive chemotherapy. Described here are methods for obtaining maximum yield and viability. Assessments are made of cell count, both during and after leukapheresis, and of viability just prior to storage.

Leukaemia in children and their grandparents: studies of immune function in six families.

Seven of 500 children with acute leukaemia seen over a 15-year period were known to have a close relative with leukaemia or lymphoma. In each case the affected relative was a grandparent of the child, six of the seven being paternal grandparents. Investigation of thses six families showed that the fathers, who had two affected first-degree relatives, had lower lymphocyte counts and higher serum IgA concentrations than paired controls. Atopy, repeated infections and rheumatic disease were common amongst the parents and their sibs. The findings suggest a possible immunodeficiency basis for leukaemia in these families and perhaps also for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of childhood in general. In the only family in which three generations, including both leukaemic patients, were available for HL-A typing, the affected grandson had not inherited either of his affected grandmother's haplotypes.

A simple in-vitro test for assessing the sensitivity of lymphocytes to chlorambucil.

The sensitivity of lymphocytes to chlorambucil has been assessed by a simple in-vitro test which has been applied to the cells of normal controls and of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The degree of sensitivity varied amongst the normal controls and in-vitro resistance of the lymphocytes in the patients was sometimes found in the absence of in-vivo experience of the drug. Resistance in-vitro tended to be associated with very high total peripheral blood lymphocyte counts but not with the age of the patient. Where the information was available the in-vitro sensitivity test agreed with the results of biochemical estimations of drug resistance and with the clinical responses to the drug. It is suggested that this test may have applications in patient management.

Chromosomes and transformation of lymphocytes in lymphoproliferative disorders.

In chronic lymphocytic leukaemia the majority of circulating lymphocytes which responded to phytohaemagglutinin in vitro were found to have normal karyotypes. A minor population of cells in patients treated with chemotherapy had an increased number of chromosomal rearrangements as compared with cells from normal controls and untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Probably bonemarrow and lymph-node cells also had a normal karyotype.In the other lymphoproliferative disorders the peripheral blood lymphocytes had either normal karyotypes or chromosomal abnormalities attributable to treatment, even in those cases where the tumour cells of involved lymph nodes were known to have abnormal karyotypes.It was possible that circulating tumour cells were present in one case.

Technique for lymphocyte transformation.

Current techniques for lymphocyte transformation are evaluated and criticised. A simple technique, designed to meet these criticisms, is described in detail, with particular reference to lymphocyte separation and scoring methods.