Abstract
OK-432 was intratumorally administrated at a dose of 10 KE to 11 patients with gastric cancer through an endoscope 4N7 days before surgery (treated group).
During surgery proximal and distal lymphnodes were aseptically extirpated to examine the antitumor immunological response of regional lymphnode on production of and response to Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and T-cell subsets.
Control were 15 patients with gastric cancer not given OK-432 (untreated group).
In the proximal lymphnode, proportion of CD4+4B4+ cells was increased in the treated group (p<0.05). In the distal lymphnode, production of and response to IL-2 were increased in the treated group (p<0.05).
These results indicated that the intratumor administration of OK-432 through an endoscope enhanced the antitumor immunological response of regional lymphnode in gastric cancer, and suggested that this method could be a clinically useful technique.
