[Immunotherapy and quality of life]

In order to examine the quality of life with immunotherapy, a survey was conducted on 17 advanced gastric or colon cancer patients receiving LAK immunotherapy and on 10 patients receiving EAP chemotherapy as a control. Performance status of patients at the time of treatment was similar between the groups. Many patients on EAP therapy complained of severe side effects, such as loss of hair, nausea and vomiting, and appetite loss. None of the patients on LAK therapy complained of such effects on the contrary, favorable effects were found. Appetite increased in some patients and tenderness of the liver disappeared in others. As for the continuance of the treatment, two thirds of EAP patients declined, and all LAK patients replied in the affirmative. The data suggest that LAK immunotherapy is better than EAP chemotherapy from the standpoint of the quality of life.