ABSTRACT. We investigated the clinical efficacy of adoptive cytokineinduced killer (CIK) cell and dendritic cell (DC) therapy plus intensitymodulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for treating elderly patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC). In total, 68 elderly patients with EC were randomized to receive IMRT plus DC-CIK immunotherapy (study group, N = 34) or IMRT only (control group, N = 34). Clinical efficacy, immune function, toxicity and side effects, and life quality were evaluated after treatment. The efficacy rate was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. Remarkable increases were noted for quality of life and immune function in the study group relative to the control group. Regarding toxicity and side effects, compared with the control group, the study group displayed a higher fever rate, a lower incidence rate of bone marrow suppression, and a similar rate of digestive tract reactions. DC-CIK immunotherapy plus IMRT exhibited DC-CIK immunotherapy plus IMRT for elderly EC patients better short-term efficacy than IMRT alone in elderly patients with EC. The therapy could improve patients'quality of life and immune function, decrease bone marrow suppression, and lengthen survival time.

ABSTRACT.We investigated dynamic changes in T-lymphocyte subsets after hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) or radiotherapy using flow cytometry. A total of 1423 lung cancer patients admitted to our hospital between October 2012 and July 2015 were enrolled, and age-matched healthy individuals served as controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified using standard Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, based on which CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cells were isolated. A surface marker was identified by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemical analysis determined the distribution of the cells in the tumor mass or adjacent tissues. A total of 957 patients (male: 555; female: 402; median age: 49.3 years) with lung cancer who had received only HIPEC or radiotherapy were enrolled. The patients were followed-up until death. No statistical difference was noticed between the patients who had received chemotherapy compared with the baseline levels. A remarkable elevation was noticed in the CD3+ T-cells in the patients three months after radiotherapy (78.71 ± 9.36 vs 68.15 ± 9.65, P < 0.05). The level of CD8+ in the patients who had received chemotherapy or radiotherapy was remarkably elevated in the post-treatment period (P < 0.05). The CD3+ and CD8+ T-cells were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm rather than in the adjacent tissues. The expression of CD3+ and CD4+ was correlated to tumor infiltration and metastasis. Remarkable elevation was noticed in the CD3+ T-cells in the patients three months after radiotherapy. The expression of CD3+ and CD4+ was negatively correlated to tumor infiltration and metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

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