BACKGROUND: The patient with malignant tumor always show immunologic function drawback and ingravescent with tumor development, especially in the aspect of cell-mediated immunity. This study was undertaken to define the relationship between the immune function of local cells and cancer development by investigating the distribution of natural killer (NK) cells and T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, the cancer tissue and the tissue surrounding gallbladder carcinoma. METHODS: The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes and NK cells were measured by flow cytometry in samples taken from gallbladder cancer tissue, the surrounding tissues and peripheral blood of 38 patients, and compared with the numbers in the peripheral blood and gallbladder tissue of 30 patients with cholecystitis as controls. RESULTS: The numbers of CD4+and CD8+ T-cells and NK cells in gallbladder cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in the surrounding tissue and gallbladder with gallstone. However, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was lower in the cancer tissue than that in the surrounding tissue and tissue from gallbladders with gallstones. The distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and NK cells in mucous membrane of cholecystitis gallbladder and that in the tissue surrounding gallbladder cancer were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate and imbalanced distri- bution of NK cells and subsets of T-lymphocytes occurs in the mucous membrane proper of gallbladder cancer and surrounding tissue. Although gallbladder cancertissue has higher expressions of CD4+, CD8+ and NK cells, the immune function is low or in an inhibited state. In gallbladder cancer immunization therapy, local cellular immunological function should be enhanced and the protective barrier improved. BACKGROUND: The patient with malignant tumor always show immunologic function drawback and ingravescent with tumor development, especially in the aspect of cell-mediated immunity. This study was undertaken to define the relationship between the immune function of local cells and cancer development by investigating the distribution. METHODS: The numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + T-lymphocytes and NK cells were measured by flow cytometry in samples taken from gallbladder cancer tissues, the surrounding tissues and peripheral blood of 38 patients, and compared with the numbers in the peripheral blood and gallbladder tissue of 30 patients with cholecystitis as controls. RESULTS: The numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells and NK cells in gallbladder cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in the surrounding tissue and gallbladder with gallstone. However, t he ratio of CD4 + / CD8 + was lower in the cancer tissue than that in the surrounding tissue and tissue from gallbladders with gallstones. The distribution of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells and NK cells in mucous membrane of cholecystitis gallbladder and that in the tissue surrounding gallbladder cancer were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate and imbalanced distri- bution of NK cells and subsets of T-lymphocytes occurs in the mucous membrane proper of gallbladder cancer and surrounding tissues. Although gallbladder cancertissue has higher expressions of CD4 +, CD8 + and NK cells, the immune function is low or in an inhibited state. In gallbladder cancer immunization therapy, local cellular immunological function should be enhanced and the protective barrier improved.