Further immunologic studies in patients with choriocarcinoma and hydatidiform mole.

Abstract

Summary Skin grafts from their husbands were transplanted to five patients with choriocarcinoma and to two with hydatidiform mole. In four patients with metastatic spread of choriocarcinoma, prolonged survival was found in skin grafts from the husband. In the fifth patient, with a history of choriocarcinoma seven years previously, and in the two patients with mole, the husband9s skin graft was rejected after 10–14 days. Skin grafts from normal donors transplanted to the patients were rejected from 10 to 15 days. An examination was made of leukocyte individual specific antigens in all the five patients with choriocarcinoma, in eight patients with hydatidiform mole, and in their husbands. No compatibility was found. These results tend to support the theory of immune tolerance responsible for the prolonged survival of graft from the husband.