[Influence of the localization on the prognostic value of E, E-active and autologous rosettes in lung, esophagus and otorhinolaryngologic cancer].

E, E-active and autologous-rosette-forming-lymphocytes (E, Eact-, auto-RFC) were studied in 66 patients with lung cancer (2 stage I, 17 stage II, 20 stage III, 27 stage IV), 42 patients with head and neck cancer (14 stage III, 28 stage IV) and 22 patients with esophagus cancer (11 stage II, 6 stage III, 5 stage IV). Compared to controls, E-RFC were found to be depressed in each of the three different localizations (p less than 0.001), Eact-RFC were found to be depressed in head and neck as well as esophagus cancer (p less than 0,05 and p less than 0,01 respectively) and auto-RFC were found to be depressed in lung and esophagus cancer (p less than 0,01). Mean survival times of patients with RFC over and under 1 SD below the average value were compared. Significant differences were demonstrated in E-RFC and auto-RFC for head and neck cancer and in Eact-RFC for lung cancer.