title: Immunotherapy using the streptococcal preparation OK-432 for the treatment of uterine cervical cancer. Cervical Cancer Immunotherapy Study Group.
abstract: The efficacy of immunotherapy using a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, was evaluated in each clinical stage of uterine cervical cancer. The 382 eligible patients were stratified by clinical stage and presence/absence of surgery. Within each stratum, patient's were randomly allocated to OK-432 treatment or to control treatment. OK-432 significantly inhibited recurrence in patients with stage II cervical cancer; the recurrence-free interval and survival time were remarkably prolonged in patients with stage II disease who underwent surgery. However, OK-432 did not significantly prolong these parameters in patients with stage III disease. Retrospective analyses revealed that in patients with or without lymph node metastases who underwent surgery, the recurrence-free interval and survival time were significantly prolonged by OK-432 treatment. These results indicate that OK-432 is an effective and useful postoperative immunotherapeutic agent for uterine cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kinki University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tekeuti
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sawaragi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010844:Picibanil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D010844:Picibanil