title: Autologous dendritic cells combined with cytokine-induced killer cells synergize low-dose chemotherapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possibility of culturing dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, obtained at initial diagnosis of AML in elderly patients, and to investigate the safety and efficacy of treatment with autologous DCs and CIK cells when administered  to these patients in combination with low-dose chemo therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  DCs and CIK cells obtained at initial diagnosis of AML in elderly patients were cultured and used in combination with low-dose chemo therapy to treat these patients (immunotherapy group). Elderly patients with AML treated  only with low-dose chemotherapy served as the control. Before treatment and on day 7 after treatment with autologous DCs and CIK cells, T cell subsets and cytokine levels were evaluated in the immunotherapy group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 21 elderly patients with AML were included in the immunotherapy  group and 23 in the control group. The clinical efficacy in the immunotherapy group was greater than in the control group. The percentages of T cell subsets and cytokine levels after immunotherapy treatment were significantly higher than before the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immuno therapy with  autologous DCs and CIK cells was found to be a promising candidate for treatment of AML in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, The Affiliated Fourth Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D055612:Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines