Immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma with autologous lymphokine-activated killer cells and/or recombinant interleukin-2.
Five patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were subjected to immunotherapy: three patients were treated by adoptive immunotherapy with lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), and two patients by systemic administration of rIL-2 alone. In one patient with diffuse-type hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis who was treated by infusion of LAK cells (a total number of 1.5 x 10(10) cells/13 doses) and continuous rIL-2 administration (a total dose of 1.25 x 10(8) units) via a percutaneously placed hepatic arterial catheter, the size of the tumor reduced dramatically and the portal vein thrombosis retracted. In two patients who had LAK cells infused (totals of 6.6 x 10(9) cells/4 doses and 3.1 x 10(9) cells/2 doses, respectively) during hepatic angiogram followed by systemic administration of rIL-2 twice a day, no clinical improvement was noticed. In two patients who received rIL-2 alone systemically (total doses of 8.9 x 10(7) and 5.5 x 10(7) units, respectively), neither clinical improvement nor severe side effects were observed. The results suggest that adoptive immunotherapy combined with continuous local administration of rIL-2 via a percutaneously placed hepatic arterial catheter may be an effective therapy without apparent side effects for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who cannot be treated by conventional cancer therapy.
Ishikawa
T
T
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Imawari
M
M
Moriyama
T
T
Ohnishi
S
S
Matsuhashi
N
N
Suzuki
G
G
Takaku
F
F
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins