Journal of Cancer Research and Immuno-Oncology
Open Access

Abstract

Cancer Related Fatigue and Clinical Outcome of Dendritic Cell Vaccine in Combination with Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell Therapy in Cancer Patients

Jin-Jing Hu, Ming Tian, Yong-Long Guo, Wen-Bo Meng, Bing Bai, Zhong-Tian Bai, Jun Yan, Yong-Na Wu, Li-Ming Wang, Xia Hu and Xun Li

Cancer related fatigue significantly disrupts normal life for a portion of cancer survivors, and may persist for many years with cancer patients. Fatigue lasts longer than other treatment side-effects. There are increasing reports of using immunocyte therapy to treat cancer, and if it could be alternative relieve therapy in persons with cancer related fatigue is not so clear. Herein, we retrospectively evaluated the improvement of cancer related fatigue and safety of this therapy administered to cancer patients. 539 patients were treated with immunocyte therapy after conventional treatment. Methods: The delayed-type hyper-sensitivity (DTH) skin test was used to measure the immune response. Investigated into cancer related fatigue, physical strength, appetite and sleep as clinical efficacy. Results: The DTH skin tests showed that the positive cell-mediated cytotoxicity response rate was 82.7%. A large proportion of patients’ cancer related fatigue (80%); appetite (94.1%), sleeping status (96.6%) and metal state (92.9%) were improved. Adverse reactions were fever (35.1%), insomnia (21.4%), anorexia (15.7%), arthralgia (8%), rash (3.3%). DC (dendritic cell) therapy combined with CIK (cytokine-induced killer cell) was observed no toxicity in patients. Conclusion: This is the first time we reported combination of DC and CIK therapy to relieve the cancer related fatigue of patients after conventional therapy (surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy). It may be an effective immunotherapy to reduce adverse reactions and a safety treatment. The data of CIK treatment time and CIK cell number provide strong support for further clinical treatment.