ArticleMichlmayr G.
Fortschr Med. 1978 Oct 12;96(38):1928-32.
In untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease the percentage of T-lymphocytes was significantly reduced in comparison to healthy controls independent of the stage of the disease. The absolute number of T-lymphocytes was also reduced in most patients. The response of lymphocytes after PHA-stimulation was diminished parallel with the skin reactivity: Normal results were obtained in early stages and with favorable histological types whilst low values were found in stages III and IV and in unfavourable histological types. A correlation between the percentage of T-lymphocytes and the PHA-stimulation was found in early stages, but not in stages III and IV. There was also a correlation between the absolute number of T-lymphocytes and skin reactivity. The percentage of DNA-synthesizing lymphocytes was significantly higher than in normal blood. The highest values were found in stages III and IV and in unfavourable histological types. After radiation therapy the T-lymphopenia, the diminished PHA-stimulation as well as anergy was more pronounced than after chemotherapy.