Dendritic cells combining with cytokine-induced killer cells synergize chemotherapy in patients with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause for cancer-related mortality and morbidity, and the survival of late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poor. We hereby evaluate conventional chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy using dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells in the treatment for late stage of NSCLC.

Twenty-eight untreated patients suffered from IIIB to IV NSCLC were enrolled in the study between August 2004 and October 2005, and all received four courses of vinorelbine–platinum (NP) chemotherapy. Fourteen of them received conventional NP chemotherapy followed by vaccinated with CEA (605–613) peptide-pulsed autologous dendritic cells and CIK cells. Vaccination was repeated at 30-day intervals for 4 cycles. The adverse effects, time to progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS) in each group were evaluated.

The adverse effect as a result of chemoimmunotherapy was mild and tolerable. Rash, acne, and pruritus were more frequent in the chemoimmunotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group (64.2% vs. 7.1%, P = 0.004). Non-infectious fever was more frequent in the chemoimmunotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group (71.4% vs. 21.4% P = 0.02). Less grade 3/4 fatigue was observed in patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy: 7.1% versus 57.1% in chemotherapy group, P = 0.01. Compared with patients in chemotherapy group, time to progression in chemoimmunotherapy significantly prolonged, with the median improved from 5.2 months (95% CI: 3.3–6.0) to 6.9 months (95% CI: 5.0–8.8) (P = 0.03). The 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates were 64.3, 49, and 21.0%, respectively in chemoimmunotherapy group. Overall survival rate showed no statistically difference between two groups (P = 0.18).

Chemoimmunotherapy could alleviate adverse effects of conventional chemotherapy and prolong survival for patients with late-stage NSCLC.