Clinical immunologic responsiveness in malignant disease.I. Delayed hypersensitivity reaction and the effect of cytotoxic drugs

Patients with advanced malignant disease, not originating from the lymphoreticular tissue, showed marked depression of delayed hypersensitivity reaction to tuberculin, mumps, Candida albicans, and DNCB, as compared to control hospitalized noncancer patients. There were statistical differences in suppression of different primary sites of origin of the neoplasms. Cytotoxic drug therapy enhances this depression of delayed type of hypersensitivity regardless of the drugs used or the response of the patient to them. This suppression was more marked in patients who became leukopenic after the administration of these agents.