title: Prognostic markers for immunochemotherapy using tegafur -uracil (UFT) and protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We previously reported that PSK-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis reaction (PSK-stimulation index; PSK-SI) may be a prognostic marker for immunochemotherapy using PSK in gastrointestinal cancer patients. In this study we evaluated the usefulness of PSK-SI as a prognostic marker for PSK therapy at higher and lower serum immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  98 gastric and 135 colorectal cancer patients were analyzed. PSK-SI and serum IAP levels were measured preoperatively. After operation, patients received UFT and PSK for two years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between patients with higher and those with lower PSK-SI with respect to the clinicopathological factors. In patients with higher serum IAP levels (> or = 500 microg/ml), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were apparently more favorable in the higher PSK-SI group (gastric cancer; > or = 1.75, colorectal cancer; > or = 2.1) than in lower PSK-SI group, although the differences were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IAP levels and PSK-SI may be useful markers for prediction of response to immunochemotherapy using PSK, although further studies are necessary.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Keishi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
authors.forename: Yo-Ichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Tomoharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soejima
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawanaka
authors.forename: Koshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; C030193:immunosuppressive acidic protein; D005641:Tegafur; C010770:polysaccharide-K; D014498:Uracil