Effect of dendritic cell vaccine therapy on lymphocyte subpopulation in refractory primary brain tumor

Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy has the potential to induce an antitumor response within the immunologically privileged brain.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effect of DC vaccine therapy on lymphocyte subsets in patients with refractory primary brain tumor.

Eighteen cases with refractory primary brain tumor who refused any treatment against tumor within 6 months of the therapy, were referred to one medicine center, from January 2011 to October 2012. All patients received 1 × 10(7) tumor lysate-pulsed DC vaccinations both intradermal injection and intravenous infusion 3 times/week.

There were increases of lymphocytes CD8+ (P = 0.002) and CD56+ (P = 4.207E-10), but no change of lymphocytes CD3+ (P = 0.651). Six patients were positive response of delayed-type hypersensitivity. There were improving of appetite in 14 cases and increasing of physical strength 17 cases.

DC vaccine has the potential for inducing an immune cytotoxic effect directed toward tumor cells.