Objective: To investigate the influence of co-stimulatory molecules B7-H4 expression on prognosis of gastric cancer patients treated by cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK cells) adoptive immunotherapy.
Methods: Clinical data of 156 cases of gastric cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into chemotherapy group(n=81) and chemotherapy combined with CIK cell therapy group(n=75). B7-H4 expression was detected in the surgical specimens of gastric cancer patients by immunohistochemistry assay. Disease-free survival was compared between the chemotherapy group and the CIK group at different expression levels of B7-H4.
Results: The difference was not statistically significant in all clinical and pathological data between the chemotherapy group and the CIK treatment group (P>0.05). The postoperative median tumor-free survival in two groups was 18.0 and 45.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=11.631, P=0.001). The postoperative median survival time was 27.0 and 49.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=10.907, P=0.001). In 86 patients with low B7-H4 expression, the median tumor-free survival time was 32.0 and 62.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=4.663,P=0.03). In 70 patients with high B7-H4 expression, the median tumor-free survival time was 11.0 and 18.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=11.971, P=0.001).
Conclusion: The median tumor-free survival time of patients with gastric cancer may be further improved by chemotherapy combined with CIK cell therapy, regardless of the level of B7-H4 expression.