[Studies on the enhancement of anti-tumor activity in patients with cervical cancer by local administration of OK-432].

In order to investigate an effective administration method for OK-432, a potent biological response modifier (BRM), in patients with cervical cancer, preoperative local administration was conducted and the following results obtained: Immunohistochemical examination using monoclonal antibodies indicated that the group given local injection of OK-432 showed a marked increase in Ia antigen-positive T4 cells, Ia antigen-positive macrophages and NK cells in the tissue of the area surrounding the cervical cancer and in regional lymph nodes compared with the non-injection group. The responsiveness of regional lymph-node lymphocytes to interleukin 2 and NK activity, which were investigated at the same time, was increased significantly by local injection. From the above results, it was suggested that local administration of OK-432 could be a useful measure for enhancing anti-tumor activity in patients with cervical cancer.