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Clinical trials on CIK cells: first report of the international registry on CIK cells (IRCC)

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Abstract

Purpose

Recently, a subset of natural killer T lymphocytes termed “cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells” has been described. To build an international registry, we collected the clinical data and treatment of patients with cancer using CIK cells from the literature and the respective investigators. This registry is expected to set a new set of standards on the reporting of results from clinical trials using CIK cells. A standardized reporting system will accelerate discoveries and allows us to improve treatment to benefit the patients.

Methods

We searched in PubMed for “CIK cells clinical trials”.

Results

Within the 867 matches found, 11 clinical trials with CIK cells were identified. Within these trials, 426 patients were treated, of which 313 were male, and 113 were female. Most trials included male patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin disease. In 10 of 11 studies, autologous CIK cells were used. The total number of CIK cells injected ranged from 21.9 × 107 to 5.2 × 1010. The number of CIK cells used per infusion ranged from 7.2 × 106 to 2.1 × 1010. Patients were treated with up to 40 infusions of CIK cells. Of the 384 patients, where a clinical response was reported, 24 patients showed a complete response, 27 patients showed a partial response, 40 patients showed a minor response. The total response rate (RR) was 91/384 reported patients, 161 patients had a stable disease, 129 patients had progressive disease. A decrease in tumor volume was only described in three patients. Side effects of CIK cell treatment were minor. Interestingly, a reduction of hepatitis B virus load was described in patients undergoing treatment with CIK cells. Disease-free survival rates were significantly higher in patients treated with CIK cells than in a control group without CIK treatment.

Conclusion

Adjuvant immunotherapy with cytokine-induced killer cells may prevent recurrence and improve quality of life and progression-free survival rates in patients with cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The responsibility for the content is solely restricted to the authors. Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge the support of Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V., Bonn, Germany. The support of Prof. Robert Negrin, Stanford University is kindly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine III, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    C. Hontscha & I. G. H. Schmidt-Wolf

  2. Clinical Study Support Core, CSSC, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Y. Borck

  3. Institute of Pathology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    H. Zhou

  4. John and Rebecca Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    D. Messmer

  5. Med. Klinik und Poliklinik III, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    I. G. H. Schmidt-Wolf

Authors
  1. C. Hontscha
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  2. Y. Borck
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  3. H. Zhou
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  4. D. Messmer
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  5. I. G. H. Schmidt-Wolf
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to I. G. H. Schmidt-Wolf.

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Hontscha, C., Borck, Y., Zhou, H. et al. Clinical trials on CIK cells: first report of the international registry on CIK cells (IRCC). J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 137, 305–310 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-010-0887-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-010-0887-7

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