Alpha-1-thymosin and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a preliminary experience.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the tolerability and therapeutic potential of the immunostimulating adjuvant alpha-1-thymosin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
Twelve patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with alpha-1-thymosin (900 micrograms/m2 subcutaneously twice per week for 6 months) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and compared to a historical control group (matched for gender, age, Okuda staging, Child's score, alpha-fetoprotein serum levels and viral infection) treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization alone.


RESULTS
No severe side effects were recorded in the 2 treatment groups. The combination of alpha-1-thymosin plus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization resulted in a longer survival that reached statistical significance 7 months after the end of treatment (p < 0.05). Patients receiving combined treatment demonstrated a significant increase in peripheral blood mononuclear cells expressing CD3 (p < 0.05) and CD8 (p < 0.025) 3 months after beginning treatment. They also had a significant increase (p < 0.05) in CD16+ and CD56+ cells after 1 month, and a slight reduction in mononuclear cells expressing CD25, a marker for cell activation. No alterations in the response to phytohemagglutinin stimulation were seen during the alpha-1-thymosin treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of toxicity and the favourable effects observed in this open study call for a double blind control study to confirm the efficacy of the combined treatment.
Stefanini
G F
GF
Divisione di Medicina Interna, Ospedale di Faenza, Ra.
Foschi
F G
FG
Castelli
E
E
Marsigli
L
L
Biselli
M
M
Mucci
F
F
Bernardi
M
M
Van Thiel
D H
DH
Gasbarrini
G
G
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin