RISPOSTA IMMUNITARIA ALLA CRIONECROSI DEL CARCINOMA PROSTATICO. VALUTAZIONE PRELIMINARE DEL PAZIENTE CANDIDATO ALLA CRIOCHIRURGIA

The 'in situ' freezing of a tissue produces an antigenic stimulus capable of inducing a specific immunitary response to autologous antigens of the frozen tissue in the host (cryostimulation phenomenon). This suggests that cryosurgery may be applied not only to destroy a primary neoplasia but also to stimulate or enhance the resistance of the tumour host, an attempt, in short, at cryoimmunotherapy. The present note indicates the parameters to be evaluated before cryosurgery can be used as an immunotherapy technique. In the light of the results presented to the IIIrd International Cryosurgery Congress (Valencia, October, 1977) and to the XVth Annual Meeting of the Cryobiology Society (Tokyo, August, 1978), the possibilities that the immunitary response to cryonecrosis destroys the neoplasia or produces an enhancement effect are discussed.