title: Combined immunotherapy with dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells for malignant tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new strategy of adoptive and passive immunotherapy involves combining dendritic cells (DCs) with a subset of natural killer T lymphocytes termed cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DC-CIK therapy vs. placebo, no intervention, conventional treatments, or other complementary and alternative medicines for malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Wangfang, Weipu, CNKI databases and reference lists of articles. We selected randomized controlled trials of DC-CIK therapy vs. placebo, no intervention, conventional treatments, or other complementary and alternative medicines in patients with all types and stages of malignant tumor. Primary outcome measures were overall survival and treatment response. Secondary outcome measures were health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment, progression free survival (PFS), and adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six trials met our inclusion criteria. There was evidence that chemotherapy+DC-CIK increased the 2-year (RR 2.88, 95% CI 1.38 to 5.99, P=0.005) and 3-year (RR 11.67, 95% CI 2.28 to 59.69, P=0.003) survival rates and progression free survival (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.94, P<0.0001) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer compared to those treated with chemotherapy alone. DC-CIK therapy appears to be well-tolerated by cancer patients and to improve post-treatment patient health related quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DC-CIK immunotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with malignant tumors. Further clinical trials to provide supportive evidence for the routine use of DC-CIK therapy in clinical practice are warranted.
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China.
authors: Ran
authors: R
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China. Electronic address: dx8848@126.com.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Deng
authors: Department of Hepatopathy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, Dongge Road No. 89-9, 530023 Nanning, China.
authors: Haochen
authors: H
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China.
authors: Peichun
authors: P
authors: Peng
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Wen
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China.
authors: Fuyin
authors: F
authors: Li
authors: Department of Digestive, Ruikang Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi, University of Chinese Medicine, 530011 Huadong Road No. 10, Nanning, 530023 Guangxi, China.
authors: Fenfen
authors: F
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D055612:Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells; D003713:Dendritic Cells; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Carcinoma; Cytokine-induced killer; Dendritic cells; Random