title: [The effect of immunotherapy with thymopentin on the parameters of cellular immunity and the clinical course of gynecologic tumor patients].
abstract: In 25 patients with cervical, uterine and ovarian cancer with a depletion of T-helper cells and a lack of reactivity in the LMI-Test a course of immunotherapy with thymopentin (Timunox, Cilag Biotech) at a dosage of 100 mg/die for 2 weeks and subsequently 100 mg 3 x/week for 4 weeks was performed and a comparison was made with a control group of 59 patients receiving no immunotherapy. The following parameters of cell-mediated immunity were determined: (1) leucocyte-migration-inhibition-test (LMI-test) against the tumor and varidase, and (2) number of T-helper/inducer-, T-suppressor/cytotoxic-, total T-, and natural killer cells in the peripheral blood. After a course of immunotherapy no changes in the mean value of the percentage of the cell-subpopulations could be observed, but in a quarter of all patients a reaction in the LMI-test could be shown. In the control group, under chemotherapy, the percentage of T-helper-, T-suppressor- and total T-cells decreased strongly, whereas in the immunotherapy group the percentage of these populations remained unchanged. Under the restriction of a mean observation time of only 18 (5-32) months no differences concerning the survival time between both groups could be observed; only in advanced ovarian cancer patients could a slight positive effect of immunotherapy be shown. These results support the indication of a course of immunotherapy with thymopentin in combination with chemotherapy, especially in advanced cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Frauenklinik Bonn.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mallmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krebs
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D016305:Thymopentin; D013946:Thymopoietins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013946:Thymopoietins; D013951:Thymus Hormones; D016305:Thymopentin
vernacular_title: Einfluss einer Immuntherapie mit Thymopentin auf Parameter der zellulären Immunität und den klinischen Verlauf von gynäkologischen Tumorpatientinnen.