Immunochemotherapy for lung cancer I. Evaluation of the immunopotentiators OK-432 and PSK

Fifty-five patients with advanced lung cancer were divided at random into three groups. The first group of 19 patients was treated with OK-432 administered intramuscularly in addition to combination chemotherapy. The second group of 18 patients was treated with PSK in addition to combination chemotherapy. The third group of 18 patients was treated with combination chemotherapy only. There were no significant differences in age, histological type, extent of disease, Performance status or initial chemotherapy between the three treatment groups. The median survival was longer in the patients who received OK-432 (7.5 months) than that of the patients who received either PSK (7.0 months) or no immunotherapy (5.8 months), but this difference was not statistically significant. The degree of myelosuppression induced by the combination chemotherapy and the frequency of febrile episodes were less in the groups administered OK-432 and PSK. These results suggest that these immunopotentiators, especially OK-432, may be useful immunotherapeutic agents in combination with chemotherapy in advanced stages of lung cancer.