The Preventive Effect of OK-432 on Antineoplastic Drugs-induced Leukocytopenia in Patients with Lung Cancer

Abstract

The use of antineoplastic drugs in cancer patients is often limited by their side effects, especially leukocytopenia. OK-432, a preparation from a low virulent strain of hemolytic streptococcus has been studied for its effect to stimulate the proliferation of hematopoietic cells, induce the release of colony stimulating factor and increase peripheral white blood cell count (WBC). The present study was undertaken to know whether OK-432 can cause remission of the leukocytopenia induced by repeated administration of antineoplastic drugs. OK-432 (2KE-5KE) was intracutaneously given to patients with lung cancer every 2 or 3 days commencing immediately after the second course of chemotherapy. The WBC and polymorphonuclear leukocyte count (PMN) nadirs after the second and the third chemotherapy courses were significantly lowered compared with the nadir after the first chemotherapy course in cases which were not given OK-432. On the contrary, no such differences in nadirs was observed in cases receiving OK-432 administration, showing that the decrease of leukocyte counts following chemotherapy were prevented by OK-432. Our results indicate that use of OK-432 is recommended to reduce the risk of infections in cancer patients given chemotherapy.