Immunotherapy using the streptococcal preparation OK-432 for the treatment of uterine cervical cancer. Cervical Cancer Immunotherapy Study Group

• Published in: Gynecologic oncology Vol. 35; no. 3; p. 367
• Main Authors: Noda, K, Teshima, K, Tekeuti, K, Hasegawa, K, Inoue, K, Yamashita, K, Sawaragi, I, Nakajima, T, Takashima, E, Ikeuchi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-12-1989
• Subjects: Biological Products - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Immunotherapy - methods; Picibanil - therapeutic use; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Recurrence; Retrospective Studies; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - epidemiology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - mortality; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - therapy
• ISSN: 0090-8258
• DOI: 10.1016/0090-8258(89)90081-4

The efficacy of immunotherapy using a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, was evaluated in each clinical stage of uterine cervical cancer. The 382 eligible patients were stratified by clinical stage and presence/absence of surgery. Within each stratum, patient's were randomly allocated to OK-432 treatment or to control treatment. OK-432 significantly inhibited recurrence in patients with stage II cervical cancer; the recurrence-free interval and survival time were remarkably prolonged in patients with stage II disease who underwent surgery. However, OK-432 did not significantly prolong these parameters in patients with stage III disease. Retrospective analyses revealed that in patients with or without lymph node metastases who underwent surgery, the recurrence-free interval and survival time were significantly prolonged by OK-432 treatment. These results indicate that OK-432 is an effective and useful postoperative immunotherapeutic agent for uterine cervical cancer.