抄録
To evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy using PSK, an immunomodulator, a controlled study was implemented from February 1987 to November 1989 at 16 institutions in Japan. Postoperative adjuvant therapy completely accomplished was continued for at least 3 months until to the tumor progression. The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the indications for PSK therapy by using 653 patients drawn from this controlled study, who were completely accomplished therapies. Two hundred twenty-two patients underwent surgery alone, 184 received gastrectomy plus complete PSK therapy, 146 received gastrectomy plus complete chemotherapy, and 101 received gastrectomy plus complete chemotherapy plus PSK. There was a significant difference in survival between patients receiving gastrectomy alone and PSK, but not between those receiving chemotherapy and chemotherapy + PSK. There was also a significant difference in survival between patients with and without PSK. Among CEA-negative patients, there was a significant difference in survival between patients receiving gastrectomy alone and those receiving PSK, while among CEA-positive patients, there was a significant difference in survival between both gastrectomy alone and PSK, and chemotherapy and chemotherapy + PSK. Using the Cox's proportional-hazard model, we identified that PSK therapy prolonged survival times in patients with abnormal levels of IAP, ASP, SA, and CEA, while in those with normal level of ACT with statistical significance, and that the stata of CEA and SA levels might be best predictive values of response to PSK treatment in gastric cancer.
