Impaired cell-mediated immunity function in thyroid cancer

Immunological parameters were studied in 31 patients with thyroid cancer. Serum immunoglobulin levels, T and B cell percentages in peripheral blood, showed no significant difference as compared with those of control group. The blastogenesis with phytohemagglutinin P (PHA) was significantly reduced, especially, in those having larger tumor size or metastasis or in those over age 60. The positive rate of skin test with purified-protein-derivative (PPD) and Streptokinase-Streptodornase (SK-SD) was also markedly reduced. The impaired blastogenesis of lymphocyte and reduced positive rate of skin test in those cancer patients suggested that the cell-mediated immunity function, in spite of adequate count of T-cells, was impaired.