Cytotoxicity tests against cultured human lung cancer cells with autologous lymphocytes activated in vitro by mitomycin C-treated tumor monolayers in the presence of T-cell growth factor. Jpn J Clin Oncol 13:3–13

Human peripheral blood or lymph node lymphocytes, obtained from patients with a variety of lung cancer, were incubated in vitro with mitomycin C-treated tumor monolayers in the presence of T-cell growth factor. The cytotoxicity of these lymphocytes for autologous tumor cells (autologous killer activity) was assessed by a 4-hr "''Cr-release assay. Cytotoxic activity was observed in 14 out of a total of 20 cases. Lymphocytes from patients with squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma and carcinoid exhibited positive activity levels of 1 I.I ± 1.8, 16.3 and 23.9 % respectively. Nine out of 13 patients with adenocarcinoma exhibited positive activity with a mean value of 8.8 ± 6.8%. No lymphocyte activity against small cell carcinoma was observed. Natural killer (NK) activity did not always correlate with autologous killer (AK) activity. Treatment of lymphocytes with monoclonal anti-human lym-phocyte antibody revealed differences in effector cell populations concernin