IL-2-Activated Killer Cells and Native Cytokines in Treatment of Patients with Advanced Cancer

We evaluated the efficiency/tolerability of and the immunological changes induced by the adoptive immunotherapy (AIT) with IL-2-activated killer cells, and preparation of native cytokines from swine spleen (PSS) in treatment of 20 patients with advanced cancer (10 patients with primary lung cancer; 3 with metastatic melanoma; 2 with advanced neuroblastoma; 2 with ovarian cancer; renal cancer; gastric adenocarcinoma; and colorectal cancer). The partial/minor response of duration period 2-10 months was observed in 20% of patients. 2/4 patients, who underwent partial surgical tumor resection and following AIT course, sustained the event-free survival for more than 24 months. The response to the therapy was revealed in 4/10 patients with lung cancer, 2/2 patients with neuroblastoma, of whom each had ovarian and colorectal cancers. The evaluation of a dose of infused LAKcells as well as combined i.v./local (endobronchial or endoperitoneal) LAK administration were necessary to assure positive response in patients. The cytokine and/or side effects were moderate and the combined LAK-PSS infusions were generally well tolerated by the patients. The treatment was followed by activation of the patient immune system that included: (i) rebound in amount of peripheral blood lymphocytes; (ii) gain in amount of CD3(+) T cells and those CD4(+) helper/inducer; (iii) enchantment of lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production (IL-2, IL-1, TNF-alpha). Being injected to patients in combination with LAK cells, cytokines related to PSS action and/or those, either exogenous or secondary, and released by in vitro and in vivo, activated lymphocytes and could cause the therapeutic effects.