Clinical experiences with extracorporeal immunoperfusion of plasma from cancer patients

We have treated 11 patients having a variety of tumor types and three patients having mitomycin-C-associated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) with extracorporeal plasma perfusion through filters containing immobilized protein A from Staphylococcus aureus. In performing more than 140 procedures we observed only minimal toxicity, of which fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting were the most common symptoms, occurring in 25% of the patients. Significant decrease in blood pressure and bronchospasm were rare complications. However, none of these side effects were severe enough to require therapeutic intervention. The antitumor effect of immunoperfusion was modest. In 10 adequately treated patients there was one measurable tumor reduction (40% decrease of original tumor mass). Two patients had correction of total small bowel obstruction, with return to normal food intake and restoration of normal bowel habits, lasting for 6 and 3 months; and two of the two adequately treated TTP patients had dramatic hematological improvement after four and five immunoperfusion treatments and are well at present. We found direct correlation between extent of complement activation and clinical toxicity. By temperature manipulation of the perfusion procedure we were able to control the above-mentioned side effects caused by complement activation.