title: Intraarterial cellular immunotherapy for patients with inoperable liver metastases of esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report 2 patients with refractory liver metastatic tumor after esophagectomy for advanced esophageal cancer, who responded markedly to locoregional cellular immunotherapy by repeated intraarterial infusions of autologous tumor cell-activated T lymphocytes (AuTL), even after they failed the standard chemotherapy of cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
  
  
  METHODS
  AuTL administrations were made through the hepatic artery via a subcutaneous reservoir located at the right upper leg. Six injections were administered to both patients, repeated at 2-week intervals. The total number of administered T cells reached 2.4 x 10(9) and 3.1 x 10(9), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 39% and 51% regression in each infused field, compared with the size of liver tumor before treatment, was observed by computed tomography (CT) scan in patient 1 and 2, respectively. The responses continued up to the 10th and 11th month after the intraarterial infusion, confirmed by follow-up CT scan. The adverse effects of intraarterial immunotherapy were tolerable, with grade 1-2 fever and nausea in each patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical regression of liver metastases of esophageal cancer was observed in both patients who received this intraarterial cellular immunotherapy. Liver metastases of esophageal cancer may be controlled effectively and safely by repeating the intraarterial AuTL infusion as a locoregional immunotherapy over a long period.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Uhi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Kouichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sueyoshi
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiraki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirouzu
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamana
mesh_terms: D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed