title: Efficacy of postoperative adjuvant transfusion of cytokine-induced killer cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the activity and safety of postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy with transfusion of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 96 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who were treated with resection between January 2010 and December 2012 as well as adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-one of these patients accepted at least 1 cycle of CIK cell transfusion for immunotherapy (CIK group). Disease free survival (DFS), immune cells and treatment related side effects were assessed. The patients were followed up until May 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the end of follow-up, 10 patients (10.42 %) had died. Eighteen patients (18.75 %) had withdrawn. All the patients in the CIK group are still alive, and only 1 patient had withdrawn. Patients in the CIK group had significantly longer DFS than those in the control group [HR = 0.28, 95 % CI (0.09, 0.91), p = 0.034]. The 2-year DFS rates of patients in the CIK group and the control group were 59.65 ± 24.80 % and 29.35 ± 6.39 %, respectively. The CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratios were significantly lower during the period of chemotherapy than those before chemotherapy (p = 0.0038), while the ratios were significantly higher during the period of CIK cell transfusion than those before CIK therapy (p = 0.0484). There were no immediate adverse reactions to the CIK cell transfusions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjuvant transfusion of CIK cells prolongs DFS in patients with colorectal cancer.
authors: Department of Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, N.O. 111, Dade Road, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong Province, China.
authors: Yanjuan
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Haibo
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Jianping
authors: J
authors: Bai
authors: Lirong
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Yihong
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Yanchun
authors: Y
authors: Qu
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Qu
mesh_terms: D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D055612:Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
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