Depletion of Thymus Dependent Lymphocytes in Hodgkin's Disease

The spontaneous binding of sheep erythrocytes to human lymphocytes with the formation of rosettes was used as a measure of thymus derived lymphocytes in the peripheral blood from patients with Hodgkin's disease. The percentage of rosette‐forming cells as well as the absolute number were reduced in patients with Hodgkin's disease regardless of stage and generalized symptoms. Lower absolute numbers of rosette‐forming cells were seen in cases of mixed cellularity than were seen in nodular sclerosis of Hodgkin's disease. Under treatment with cytostatic drugs, either given as maintenance therapy or because of relapse, a further reduction was found, whereas no obvious alterations were seen in a few patients tested over a period of months to years after radiotherapy.