Therapeutic irradiation reduces the numbers of leukocytes and lymphocytes. This reduction impairs the patient's immunologic capacity, increasing the risk of regional and distant metastasis. As a preventive measure, anti-leukopenia agents have been used to increase the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes during therapeutic irradiation. We investigated the effect of two anti-leukopenia agents on leukocytes and lymphocytes for patients with head and neck carcinoma receiving therapeutic irradiation. Eighteen patients were administered Cepharanthin (Kakensyoyaku Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan) and Ancer 20 injection (Zeria Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Japan) during therapeutic irradiation. Twenty-five patients who were not receiving either of these agents were included in this study as a control group. Regarding the number of leukocytes, the maintenance rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group but the difference was not significant. However, for the patients treated with a large field (≥100cm2), there was a significant difference in the maintenance rate. Regarding the number of lymphocytes, the maintenance rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Thus, the concomitant administration of the two anti-levkopenia agents Cepharanthin and Ancer 20 appears to be useful for patients receiving therapeutic irradiation, especially for those treated with a large field.
