[LAK cell adoptive immunotherapy and its problems].

Clinical efficacy of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell adoptive immunotherapy (AIT) in combination with plasma exchange and interleukin (IL-2) was investigated in 24 patients with advanced cancer. Partial response (PR) was found in 4 patients (20%), including 1 primary liver tumor, 1 metastatic lung tumor from renal cancer and 2 malignant pleural effusions from gastric and lung cancer. Based on these results new AIT in combination with plasma exchange, OK-432, IL-2 and cyclophosphamide was designed to target liver and lung tumors, in which LAK cells and other drugs were administered through the catheter located in the feeding artery of the tumor. Out of ten patients treated, 1 (10%) with metastatic liver tumor from gallbladder cancer was evaluated as PR. It is suggested that a strategy to enhance tumor accumulation and recognition of LAK cells should be attempted for development of gastrointestinal cancer therapy with AIT.