Danazol and Non-Hodgkin's Malignant Lymphomas

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To the editor: Sex hormones appear to influence the immune system; for example, after immunization, women have higher immunoglobulin levels and a greater capacity for producing antibodies than men (1). The sex hormone modulation of cellular immune responses may be of pathophysiologic and perhaps therapeutic importance, because in the NZB/NZW/BFI mouse lupus model, castration of the male accelerates the disease and administration of estrogens to the castrated males accelerates the disease still further (2). Recently, we reported the presence of androgen receptors in 13 biopsy specimens of non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphomas (3). Because danazol is an impeded androgen and antiestrogen with