title: Preoperative CEA and PPD values as prognostic factors for immunochemotherapy using PSK and 5-FU.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immunochemotherapy using PSK used as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer in Japan, is a treatment that depends on the immunocompetence of the host. Therefore, we analyzed the data of Hokuriku district conducted by the CIP study group to compare the long-term survival for preoperative CEA level and PPD reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 1991 and March 1993, 87 patients with primary colon cancer and macroscopic lymph node metastasis (macroscopic Dukes' C) underwent macroscopic curative resection. The patients were randomly allocated to receive 5-FU/PSK therapy or 5-FU alone. The 7-year disease-free survival (DFS), 7-year overall survival (OS) and 7-year cancer death survival (CDS) were compared using the preoperative CEA levels and PPD values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cases with preoperative CEA level > or =3.0 ng/mL, the 7-year DFS, 7-year OS and 7-year CDS were significantly better in the PSK group (85.7, 90.5, 90.5%) than in the control group (52.4, 52.4, 57 1%; p=0.019, 0.007, 0.014,). In cases with preoperative PPD level <19.0 mm, the 7-year DFS, 7-year OS and 7-year CDS were significantly better in the PSK group (85.7, 85.7, 89.3%) than in the control group (56.7, 60.0, 63.3%; p=0.018, 0.036, 0.028). Recurrence was significantly less in the PSK group. The DFS tended to be superior in the PSK group (87.4%) compared to the control group (69.9%) for hematogenous metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that preoperative CEA and PPD, that can be measured easily in the clinical setting, may be effective indicators of postoperative adjuvant immunochemotherapy using PSK.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa 920-4523, Japan. takahasi@kenroku.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014373:Tuberculin; C010770:polysaccharide-K; D005472:Fluorouracil