Serum proteins in prostatic cancer: V. alterations in immunoglobulins and clinical responsiveness following cryoprostatectomy

Levels of the three major serum immunoglobulins (G, A, M) were quantitated prior to and up to 2 weeks following each of two independent freezing treatments of the primary prostatic tumour in 4 patients undergoing remission or healing of their metastatic lesions. Cyclical alterations in the level of IgG accompanied by moderate alterations in the level of IgA were noted post-operatively. Most striking was an almost twofold increase in the level of IgM in 3 of the 4 patients evaluated. While possibly a non-specific association, observations of increased levels of IgG and IgM following cryotherapy may represent an active immunologic response by the host to prostatic tissue (tumour?)-specific or tumour-associated antigen (s) in the form of ‘blocking’ factor (s) or cytotoxic antibody.