Neutrophil antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against Raji target cells was studied in 32 patients with lung or gastro-intestinal carcinoma and 25 healthy controls. Seventeen of the patients (53%) had defective ADCC. Moreover, neutrophils obtained from patients with defective ADCC were found to bind IgG-coated target cells normally. Thus, the defect responsible for the impaired lysis appears to be distal to the Fc receptor (FcR)-mediated target cell binding by neutrophils.