Adoptive Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer with Killer Cells Induced by Stimulation with Autologous or Allogeneic Tumour Cells and Recombinant Interleukin-2

Abstract

Peripheral blood lymphocytes drawn by leukapheresis using Haemonetics V50 were mixed and cultured with autologous or allogeneic tumour cell line to activate killer cells by tumour antigenic stimulation, and further with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2). Killer cells were intra-arterially infused, as a primary therapy, in 5 patients with maxillary and one with lingual cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). Effects on reduction of primary tumour size were significantly high without any severe side effects. The effects were interpreted mainly by direct day-by-day observation of the site, findings of CT and histology. Histological findings of the tissue obtained by surgical operation performed after adoptive immunotherapy were remarkable changes, such as infiltration of lymphoid cells around the cancer nets, degeneration of cancer cells, infiltration of scavenger macrophages (giant cells) and so on. The results suggested that adoptive immunotherapy by the killer cells can be a powerful treatment to bring the cancer under control, in with combination of other therapies.

Covalent linking of proteins and cytokines to suture: Enhancing the immune response of head and neck cancer patients

“…Other tumors such as melanoma and renal cell carcinoma have been studied in greater depth and have shown some clinical response to immunotherapeutic treatments. Previous immunotherapeutic trials in HNSCC patients have studied the toxicity and efficacy of interleukin (ID‐2 infused intravenously or injected into the peritumoral or perilymphatic region of cancer patients 1–21 . Findings from these trials have revealed that between 0% and 65% of patients have shown a clinical response to therapy.…”

Expansion of Lung Vα14 NKT Cells by Administration of α‐Galactosylceramide‐pulsed Dendritic Cells

“…28) In fact, Vα14 NKT cells infected with the retrovirus-mediated IL-2 gene survive significantly longer in vitro than Vα14 NKT cells infected with control retrovirus (unpublished observation). Patients undergoing LAK therapy sometimes receive IL-2, [29][30][31][32] but administration of IL-2 to cancer patients can produce serious side effects including febricula, pleural effusion, gastrointestinal perforation, insanity, etc. ; therefore, the clinical usage of cultured Vα14 NKT cells with IL-2 might be difficult.…”

Regional Low-Dose lnterleukin-2 Immunotherapy of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in a Guinea Pig Tumor Model

“…In head and neck cancer regional low-dose IL-2 treat ment alone [13][14][15] or in combination with LAK cells [ 17,18] has been investigated. Despite some encouraging ini tial results the therapeutic value of this approach has not been established, and several host-and treatment-related parameters which may be associated with successful im munotherapy have to be determined.…”