An adult female is described who, during a clinical course of 25 years, presented malignant tumors of the rectum, breast, uterus and colon. Cytostatics were never administered. Lymphocyte subsets, a variety of lymphocyte and mononuclear cell stimulation assays with mitogens and antigens, DNA repair tests and activity of natural killer cells were normal. Serum leukocytic interleukin-1 activity was slightly elevated. Sister chromatid exchange frequency in peripheral lymphocytes was below the normal range. An explanation for the development of 4 primary malignant neoplasms was not found.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AgarwallS.S., BrownD.Q., KatsE.J., LoebL.A.: Screening for deficits in DNA repair by the response of irradiated human lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin. Cancer Res., 37: 3594–3598, 1977.
2.
ArlettC.F., LehmannA.R.: Human disorders showing increased sensitivity to the induction of genetic damage. Annu. Rev. Genet., 12: 95–115, 1978.
3.
BendtzenK., BaekL., BerildD., HasselbachH., DinarelloC.A., WolffS.M.: Demonstration of circulating leukocytic pyrogen/interleukin-1 during fever. N. Engl. J. Med., 310: 596, 1984.
DillmanR.O., KoziolJ.A., ZavanelliM.I., BeauregardJ.C., HalliburtonB.L., GlassyM.C., RoystonI.: Immunoincompetence in cancer patients. Assessment by in vitro stimulation tests and quantification of lymphocyte subpopulations. Cancer, 53: 1484–1491, 1984.
6.
EnkC., RemvigL., BendtzenK.: A standardized human T-lymphocyte proliferation assay for detecting soluble accessory factors from monocytes. I. Monocyte and monokine requirements. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand., Sect C, 92: 93–100, 1984.
7.
HerbermanR.B.: Natural killer (NK) cells and their possible roles in resistance against disease. Clin. Immunol. Rev., 14: 233–237, 1981.
8.
McWilliamsR.S., CrossW.G., KaplanJ.G., BirnboimH.C.: Rapid rejoining of DNA strand breaks in resting human lymphocytes after irradiation by low doses of 60Co gamma rays or 14.6-MeV neutrons. Radiat. Res., 94: 499–507, 1983.
9.
MoertelC.G., DockertyM.B., BaggenstossA.H.: Multiple primary malignant neoplasms. I. Introduction and presentation of data. Cancer, 14: 221–230, 1961.
10.
OppenheimJ.J., StadlerB.M., SiraganianR.P., MageM., MathiesonB.: Lymphokines: their role in lymphocyte responses. Properties of interleukin 1. Fed. Proc, 41: 257–262, 1982.
11.
PearsonA.D.T., CraftA.W., PerryR.H., KalbagR.M., EvanR.G.B.: Four primary tumors in one child. Cancer, 52: 2363–2368, 1983.
12.
PedersenB.K., BeyerJ.M., RasmussenA., Horslev-PetersenK., PedersenB.N., HelinP.: Azathioprine as single drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis induces complete suppression of natural killer cell activity. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand., Sect. C (in press).
13.
PeroR.W., ÖstlundC.: Direct comparison, in human resting lymphocytes, of the inter-individual variations in unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by A-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and ultraviolet irradiation. Mutat. Res., 73: 349–361, 1980.
14.
PetersenJ., BendtzenK.: Involvement of monokines in antigen- and lectin-induced human lymphokine production. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand., Sect. C, 90: 229–235, 1982.
15.
PlatzP., FogT., MorlingN., SvejgaardA., SønderstrupG., RyderL.P., ThomsenM., TersildC.: Immunological in vitro parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis and in normal individuals. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand., Sect. C, 84: 501–510, 1976.
16.
ReinherzE.L., KungP.C., GoldsteinG., SchlossmanS.F.: Further characterization of the human inducer T cell subset defined by monoclonal antibody. J. Immunol., 123: 2894–2896, 1979.
17.
WulfH.C., HusumB., NiebuhrE.: Sister chromatid exchanges in smokers of high-tar cigarettes, low-tar cigarettes, cheroots and pipe tobacco. Hereditas, 98: 225–228, 1983.
18.
WulfH.C., HusumB., PlesnerA.M., NiebuhrE.: Distribution of SCEs in lymphocytes in persons with normal, slightly increased and heavily increased SCEs. Mutat. Res., 125: 263–268, 1984.