[Immunocompetence of esophageal cancer patients with familial cancer history and their relatives].

Cellular immunity was assayed in 58 esophageal cancer patients with family history of esophageal cancer, 23 patients' first degree relative, 20 esophageal patients with family history of other malignant tumours. 114 esophageal cancer patients without cancer family history and 30 normal subjects were taken as control. The results showed that skin delayed hypersensitivity(DTH) reaction and lymphocyte response to PHA were significantly lower in patients with cancer family history than those without. The DTH reaction, lymphocyte response to PHA and IL-2, NK activity were also remarkably depressed in their first degree relatives, when compared with normal controls. These results indicate that familial immunodeficiency might be one of factors of familial aggregation of esophageal cancer.