[The effect of OK-432 in the treatment of primary lung cancer].

Twenty patients with lung cancer were treated with a streptococcal preparation, OK-432 in addition to various other treatments, and we evaluated the effect of OK-432 in comparison with an equivalent number of patients without OK-432. With regard to advanced-stage patients, the median survival time of those treated with OK-432 was longer than that of patients without OK-432. Patients whose PPD or SU-PS skin reactions were positive had a longer survival time than those giving a negative reaction. OK-432 significantly increased the reactions for both PPD and SU-PS. On the other hand, OK-432 did not have any significant effect in increasing the numbers of peripheral lymphocytes and T-cell subsets. Furthermore, there were no effects on tumor markers, such as CEA, beta 2-microglobulin and ferritin. However, OK-432 had a remarkable effect in decreasing immunosuppressive acidic protein.