title: Adoptive cell transfer after chemotherapy enhances survival in patients with resectable HNSCC.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and to determine the immune factors for treatment success in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with chemotherapy followed by adoptive cell transfer (ACT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 HNSCC patients who received radical resection and chemotherapy were analysed in this study. Twenty-one of the patients were repeatedly treated with ACT after chemotherapy (ACT group), and the other twenty-two patients without ACT treatment were included as part of the control group. To investigate the immunological differences underlying these observations, we expanded and profiled improving cytokine-induced killer cells (iCIK) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with the timed addition of RetroNectin, OKT3 mAb, IFN γ and IL-2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the ACT group were significantly higher as compared to the control group (56 vs. 40; 58 vs. 45 months). In iCIK culture, there was a significant reduction in CD3+CD4+ T-cell proliferation and cytokines (IL-2, TNF) production from patients who received chemotherapy compared to patients without chemotherapy. Intra-arterial infusion of iCIK, in coordination with chemotherapy, considerably rescued iCIK culture from the suppression of systemic immunity induced by chemotherapy and induced tumour regression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altogether, these findings suggest that ACT is an effective neo-adjuvant therapy for rescuing systemic immune suppression and improving survival time in patients with HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: J Archibald
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China; Guangzhou Yidai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Guangzhou 510055, China. Electronic address: wanghua9@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019264:Adoptive Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D037981:Neck Dissection; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D013534:Survival; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell
keywords: Adoptive cell transfer; Chemotherapy; Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma