[Use of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity skin test and in vitro assays of lymphocyte function to tumour associated antigen in patients with lung cancer (author's transl)].

Twenty one patients with lung cancer and twelve patients with unspecified lung disease were evaluated by means of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity skin tests with tumour associated antigen. Nine of these patients with lung cancer and seven healthy persons were evaluated by in vitro assays of lymphocyte function to tumour associated antigen (TAA) from "Cancerotest Dessau". We did not find a statistically significant lymphocyte transformation to the testing concentration of TAA. For the same patients with lung cancer and controls we found statistically significant results of the mean lymphocyte transformation to phytohemagglutinin. It has been shown that the delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity skin tests demonstrated "false positive" reactions to TAA. It is possible that this is an expression of the irritative effects of TAA. It is estimated that the application of the antigens in this form presented and in this chosen examination conditions, does not allow for definite diagnostic assessment to be expected.