Study of B and T lymphocyte surface markers in breast cancer patients using anti-B and anti-T cell monoclonal antibodies.

The immune status of 34 breast cancer patients was investigated by measuring several parameters of peripheral blood lymphocytes--monoclonal antibodies against T cell (Leu-1) and B cell (HLA-DR) antigens, and against cytotoxic/suppressor (Leu-2a) and helper/inducer T cells (Leu-3a); E rosette formation as a T cell marker and surface Ig as a B cell marker; FcIgG receptor expression; and mitogen responsiveness of the peripheral blood lymphocytes to PHA, Con A, and PWM. Most of the patients had normal percentages of B and T cells and T cell subsets but there was a trend to lower percentages of T cells and their subsets in stage IV patients. Due to lymphopenia in stages I and IV and in patients which had received radio- or chemotherapy, the total number of B and T cells and T cell subsets was less in these groups than in the controls. The percentage of FcIgG positive cells was higher in these groups than in controls and therefore the absolute number remained unchanged. In general, a decrease in T cells seems to be indicative of a poor prognosis. Mitogen responsiveness does not have prognostic significance since a patient in stage III, in good general health, had a low mitogenic response and a terminal stage IV patient had a normal mitogenic response.