This report describes the case of a patient with lung cancer who completely recovered when he was suffering from tuberculosis. Since bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has beneficial effects in certain types of cancer, it was hypothesized that infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced an effective response against the tumour. M. tuberculosis-infected blood T-lymphocytes of the patient were cultured with two lung tumour cell lines. T-lymphocytes in vitro remained attached to tumour cells that appeared reduced in number. Moreover, M. tuberculosis isolated from the patient was a strong inducer, in infected macrophages, of the expression of the inducible form of the nitric oxide synthase, that may regulate cytotoxic activity of human macrophages.
Mariani, F., Bocchino, M., Cappelli, G., Persechini, T., Colizzi, V., Bonanno, E., et al. (2001). Tuberculosis and lung cancer. An interesting case study. MONALDI ARCHIVES FOR CHEST DISEASE, 56(1), 30-32.
Tuberculosis and lung cancer. An interesting case study
COLIZZI, VITTORIO;BONANNO, ELENA;
2001-02-01
Abstract
This report describes the case of a patient with lung cancer who completely recovered when he was suffering from tuberculosis. Since bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has beneficial effects in certain types of cancer, it was hypothesized that infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced an effective response against the tumour. M. tuberculosis-infected blood T-lymphocytes of the patient were cultured with two lung tumour cell lines. T-lymphocytes in vitro remained attached to tumour cells that appeared reduced in number. Moreover, M. tuberculosis isolated from the patient was a strong inducer, in infected macrophages, of the expression of the inducible form of the nitric oxide synthase, that may regulate cytotoxic activity of human macrophages.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.