抄録
Factors influencing the prognosis of the head and neck carcinomas, especially factors of the host immunity and the immunotherapy were studied, on 180 cases with advanced stage III and IV head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Following 9 prognostic factors were examined by multivariate analysis: sex, age, host immunity, original site, stage, histological classification, radiation and operation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The factors which influenced most strongly the prognosis were the stage and the original site, and the factors which influenced slightly were the sex and the host immunity. Even the host immunity influenced the prognosis slightly, its suppressive status made the prognosis poorer. Concerning immunotherapy, the longer administration of the non-specific immunotherapeutic agent made the prognosis better during the two years after initial treatment, comparing its shorter or no administration. But this effectiveness of immunotherapy diminished after three years. It was supposed that the immunity was intimately related to the condition of the head and neck carcinoma patients, but the non-specific immunotherapeutic agents which are admitted presently are limited in effectiveness. So it is expected that the more effective immunothrapeutic agents is developed on the near future.
