Effects of protein-bound polysaccharide preparation(PSK) in small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Abstract

A randomized controlled study was conducted to investigate the effects of PSK in the treatment of small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCC). A total of 109 cases were given standard chemotherapy consisting of 1mg Vincristine, 200-400mg Cyclophosphamide, and 2-4mg Mitomycin-C weekly for 4 to 8 weeks, with or without radiotherapy. To the group allocated to PSK, 3g/day of PSK was orally administered along with the above treatment. Of 93 eligible cases, 46 were PSK and 47 were control group. Response rates for PSK and control were 45%and 46%, respectively. The median duration of response for PSK (25w) was significantly longer than that for controls (13w), although survival rates for PSK and control groups were not significantly different. A tendency towards better survial in the PSK group was observed in cases responsive to chemo-and radiotherapy, with a higher pretreatment lymphocyte count and with good performance status (0-1). Changes of lymphocytes, PS score, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, A/G ratio etc were persistently beneficial for patients in the PSK group. The frequency and severity of side effects oriented to the standard chemotherapy and radiotherapywere not different between the both groups.It was concluded that immunotherapy with PSK would be beneficial in the treatment of SCC when used in cases responsive to basic treatment, particularly in the patients with good prognostic factors.

Efficacy of Postoperative UFT (Tegafur/Uracil) Plus PSK Therapies in Elderly Patients with Resected Colorectal Cancer

“…PSK is classified as an antitumor agent in Japan and is used in gastric, 3,4 colorectal, 5-7 and small-cell lung cancer. 8 Various antitumor mechanisms of PSK, involving the activation of immunopotentiating cytokine production, 11 inhibition of immunosuppressive cytokine production, 12 activation of effector cells such as cytotoxic T-cells, 13 natural killer 14 and dendritic cells, 15 improvement of Th1/Th2 balance, 16 inhibition of angiogenesis, 17 cancer cell invasion, 18 induction of apoptosis to cancer cells, 19 and the induction of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-antigen expression on cancer cells, 20 were reported.…”

“…8 We previously conducted a comparative study of UFT and UFT plus PSK in colorectal cancer patients 75 years of age or younger and reported a tendency of improved prognosis in the PSK combined immunochemotherapy group. 5 In addition, Ohwada et al reported a significant improvement of disease-free survival in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer treated with a combination of UFT and PSK.…”

Polysaccharide-K (PSK) may suppress surgical stress-induced metastasis in rat colon cancer

“…In Japan, PSK is used in combination with chemotherapy as postoperative adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer and curatively resected colorectal cancer [4,5], and in combination with other therapies, including chemotherapy, for small cell lung cancer [6]. PSK has been reported to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.…”

Immunochemotherapy with PSK and Fluoropyrimidines Improves Long-Term Prognosis for Curatively Resected Colorectal Cancer

“…In Japan, PSK has been approved as a drug to be used in combination with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric, 10,11 and colorectal cancers [12][13][14] and with chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer. 15 Multiple mechanisms of action have been reported, including the activation of cytotoxic lymphocytes, 16 enhanced production of cytokines, 17 inhibition of cancer metastasis through the suppression of tumor-growth factor beta 1 (TGF-␤1), 18 and augmentation of apoptosis through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-B). 19 .…”