Index of the natural killer cells cytotoxic activity and values in patients with uterine myoma

State of the system of immunobiological control is of great importance for pathogenesis of uterine myoma as of any process of tumorous growth.

56 patients were examined to study their clinical and laboratory data, total serum interferon, the ability of peripheral blood leucocytes to synthesize a/b- and g -interferons, cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells.

The ability of peripheral blood leucocytes to synthesize a/b -interferon was found to be low in 89,5% of patients, g -interferon - in 51,6%. In women with very low g -interferon level (max 28, min 14) the size of myomatic nodes exceeded 5 cm in diameter, fast growth of tumors was noted. Cytotoxic activity of natural killers was low in 27% of women, and all of them had either fast growth of the uterine myoma (with nodes more than 5 cm in diameter) or myoma recurrence after myomectomy.

High positive correlation was found between the patient’s age and the ability of peripheral blood leucocytes to produce g -interferon (correlation coefficient = 0,44), between the size of a myomatic node and indices of the functional activity of natural killers (c.c. = 0,35), between the ability of peripheral blood leucocytes to produce a/b -interferon and functional activity of natural killer cells (c.C. — 0,32).

So, the growth of uterine myoma can be predicted indirectly by the showings of cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and by the ability of peripheral blood leucocytes to produce g-interferon.