Studies on Specificity of Cell-Mediated Immunity to Human Tumors

Summary

Lymphocytes from patients with various cancers were tested for their cytotoxic activity against 45 target culture cells from human tumors. With a microassay in which the remaining target cells were counted electronically, 9294 combinations were tested. The specificity of the cell-mediated cytotoxic reactions against cultured tumor cells was found not to be associated with “histologic” types of cancer. For example, lymphocytes from patients with many types of tumors were as cytotoxic to breast cancer-derived target cells as were lymphocytes trom patients with breast cancer. Comparisons of tests performed on the same plate supported these conclusions.