title: A Prospective Observational Study of Adoptive Immunotherapy for Cancer Using Zoledronate-Activated Killer (ZAK) Cells - An Analysis for Patients with Incurable Pancreatic Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adoptive immunotherapy (AIT) using autologous zoledronate-activated killer (ZAK) cells has been performed for developing a novel modality of cancer treatment. In this study, data series from incurable pancreatic cancer were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were treated with AIT using intravenous administration of ZAK cells every 3 to 4 weeks in combination with standard chemotherapy and possible clinical benefits were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five patients were treated. A median overall survival (OS) time of 6.7 months was achieved for all patients and 13.1 months for those treated 5 times or more, that increased to 14.6 and 18.3 months, respectively, when the previous treatment period of chemotherapy alone was included in the analysis. The disease control rate was 58.5 %. Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the survival and baseline value of lymphocyte percentage in white blood cell counts (p=0.031).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that AIT using ZAK cells in combination with chemotherapy is safe and feasible and may be effective in prolonging survival for patients with incurable pancreatic cancer. The lymphocyte percentage at baseline may be a good biomarker for predicting the survival benefit of ZAK cell AIT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School and Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan shogo@med.kawasaki-m.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School and Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katata
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School and Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okawaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School and Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School and Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007093:Imidazoles; D007376:Interleukin-2; D003841:Deoxycytidine; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D010094:Oxonic Acid; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Adoptive immunotherapy (AIT); ZAK cells; pancreatic cancer; zoledronate; γδT cells