Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Dendritic Cell -cytokine Induced Killer Cell-based Adoptive Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer

Immunol Invest. 2021 Aug;50(6):622-633. doi: 10.1080/08820139.2020.1781881. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Abstract

Background: To analyze the efficacy and safety of dendritic cell - cytokine - induced killer (DC-CIK) immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 116 patients from February 2012 to December 2017, who were divided into postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy group alone, combined DC-CIK immunotherapy group, advanced cancer palliative care group, and palliative care + DC-CIK immunotherapy group, to evaluate cellular immune function, disease-free survival(DFS) and overall survival(OS). Results: In the adjuvant therapy and palliative care group, the percentages of CD3+, CD8+ and NK cells after treatment were significantly lower than before, whereas in the other two groups given DC-CIK immunotherapy, the percentages of CD3+, CD8+, NK and NKT cells after treatment were all higher than before, with a significant increase compared with the chemotherapy group (P < .05). DFS (42.4 ± 5.26 m) in the group receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy + DC-CIK immunotherapy was significantly longer than that (23.5 ± 2.79 m) in the group only given postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (P < .05). OS in the group receiving palliative care + DC-CIK immunotherapy was slightly longer than that in the group only given palliative care for advanced cancer (29 m vs 26 m, P > .05).Conclusion: Combination with DC-CIK immunotherapy could effectively improve cellular immune function. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in combination with DC-CIK immunotherapy could significantly prolong DFS, but palliative care in combination with DC-CIK immunotherapy did not significantly prolong OS in patients with advanced cancer.

Keywords: DC-CIK; DFS; colorectal cancer; immune function.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / adverse effects
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / methods
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / immunology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / immunology
  • Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / transplantation*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / transplantation*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / adverse effects
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / prevention & control
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Palliative Care / methods
  • Retrospective Studies