Biphasic effect of cryosurgery of the prostate on lymphocyte proliferation

In a preliminary study, cryosurgery of the prostate in patients with prostatic cancer has been observed to possess a biphasic effect on the proliferative responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to the plant mitogen, phytohaemagglutinin. Phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated PBL cultured in autologous serum obtained up to 1 week postoperatively showed reduction from their preoperative levels. In contrast, cultures in homologous serum showed increased responsiveness following cryosurgery. Although depression of lymphocyte proliferation in autologous serum was transitory, gradually returning to approximate or exceeding levels of lymphocytic reactivity observed preoperatively, such depression may facilitate reduced host surveillance to potential infectious agents and to metastatic tumour cells, leading to an alteration of tumour-host homeostasis. Further studies will be required to delineate the possible clinical significance of the present observations.