title: Successful immunotherapy with Mycobacterium vaccae in the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the lung.
abstract: Immunotherapy with a heat-killed suspension of Mycobacterium vaccae (SRL172), given with chemotherapy, in a phase III trial against non-small-cell-lung cancer showed no improvement in the primary endpoint of survival over chemotherapy alone in the initial published analysis. Compliance was poor, with on average only 53% of patients receiving more than 2 injections in the SRL172 arm of the study. Quality of life was, however, improved in those receiving SRL172. Secondary analyses based on compliance with therapy showed that immunotherapy led to significantly improved survival times of patients with adenocarcinoma but, by contrast, had no beneficial effect on survival times of patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Survival of adenocarcinoma patients receiving SRL172 was increased by a mean of 135 days (p=0.0009, Kaplan-Meier log rank test) and survival after 4 or 5 doses of SRL172 showed a difference of greater than 100 days (p<0.05, Mantel-Hänszel log rank test) in the group receiving SRL172 in addition to chemotherapy. Despite the problems inherent in a secondary analysis, these results encourage further research on the role of killed preparations of adjuvant-rich micro-organisms, including saprophytic mycobacteria such as M. vaccae, and members of related genera in the therapy of a range of cancers.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College London, 46 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JF, UK. johnls@dircon.co.uk
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stanford
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stanford
authors.forename: M E R
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grange
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000628:therapy*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; C451081:SRL172