Immunologic profile of a patient with dyskeratosis congenita

The main objective of this study was to determine the biologic response of a patient with dyskeratosis congenita compared to that of six other patients, all with unresectable advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients received two three-week cycles of continuous infusion recombinant interleukin-2 (TIL-2) (3 x 10⁶ IU/m²/day) and intramuscular interferon-alpha (INF-α) (5 x 10⁶ IU/m²/day). The dyskeratosis congenita patient did not show the lymphocyte proliferative or phenotypic response as seen in the other cancer patients. Phenotypic IL-2 receptor analysis revealed no detectable fluorescence of the p55 or p75 (IL-2 receptors), as expected in the other cancer patients. We conclude that further analysis of other dyskeratosis congenita patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes is critical to further elucidate the role of the IL-2 receptor contributing to their immune deficit.