Preoperative assessment of delayed hypersensitivity skin tests and lymphocyte count in patients with epidermoid esophageal carcinoma
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cutaneous tests for delayed hipersensivity have been used for differentiating preoperative immunologic status so as to determine nutritional performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunologic status of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Delayed hipersensivity and lymphocytometry were preoperatively assessed in 45 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (cases) and
90 patients with common surgical diseases (controls).
RESULTS: Comparison of weight loss between the two groups showed that the case group was significantly more malnourished than the controls (P = 0.001). None of the cutaneous tests used (candidin, varidase, tricofitin, and tuberculin) showed statistical significance (P = NS) when the two groups were compared. There was statistical difference (P = 0.002) in lymphocytometry with a significant decrease of lymphocyte counts in the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that the cutaneous tests for delayed hipersensitivity were of little application for differentiating preoperative immunologic
status to determine nutritional performance, while lymphocytometry seems to be a reliable test to evaluate cellular immunity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Lymphocytometry may be used as an additional test to assess malnutrition in these patients.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
