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Experimental Hematology & Oncology
Published in: Experimental Hematology & Oncology 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Methodology

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: efficacy and safety

Authors: Yue Ma, Ying-Chun Xu, Lei Tang, Zan Zhang, Jian Wang, Hong-Xia Wang

Published in: Experimental Hematology & Oncology | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials and methods

Randomized phase II and III trials on CIK cell-based therapy were identified by electronic searches using a combination of "hepatocellular carcinoma" and "cytokine-induced killer cells".

Results

The analysis showed significant survival benefit (one-year survival, p < 0.001; two-year survival, p < 0.001; median overall survival, p < 0.001) in favor of CIK-based therapy. Comparison of CIK group versus non-CIK group resulted in a significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.01). A favored disease control rate (DCR) and overall response rate (ORR) were also observed in patients receiving CIK cell therapy (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, patients in the CIK group showed better quality of life (QoL), diminished HBV-DNA content and AFP level (p < 0.01). Comparing T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, the analysis showed the ratio of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+CD8+ and CD3+CD4+ T cells significantly increased in the CIK group, compared with the non-CIK group (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

CIK cell therapy demonstrated a significant superiority in prolonging the median overall survival, PFS, DCR, ORR and QoL of HCC patients. These results support further larger scale randomized controlled trials for HCC patients with or without the combination of other therapeutic methods.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: efficacy and safety
Authors
Yue Ma
Ying-Chun Xu
Lei Tang
Zan Zhang
Jian Wang
Hong-Xia Wang
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Experimental Hematology & Oncology / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 2162-3619
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/2162-3619-1-11

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