Efficacy of RetroNectin-activated cytokine-induced killer cell therapy in the treatment of advanced hepatocelluar carcinoma

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of RetroNectin-activated cytokine-induced killer cell (R-CIK) therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients as compared with conventional chemotherapy, a comparison that has not yet been thoroughly studied. From January 2010 to October 2013, 74 patients with an initial diagnosis of advanced hepatocelluar carcinoma were enrolled in the study. Patients were assigned to one of two treatment arms: patients in arm 1 (n=37) received R-CIK treatment as the first line therapy, whereas those in arm 2 (n=37) received chemotherapy as the first line treatment. The primary end point measured in this study was median overall survival (mOS). Median progression-free survival time (mPFS) and 1- and 2-year survival rates were recorded as secondary end points. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed on all mOS and mPFS data, and treatment hazard ratios were established using the Cox proportional hazards model. The 1-year survival rate in treatment arm 1 was 42.47% vs. 24.89% in arm 2 (95% CI, 24.91-59.01% vs. 12.10-40.02%, P=0.066); the 2-year survival rates were 21.24 and 5.53% (95% CI, 4.60-45.86 vs. 0.46-21.06%, P=0.106) in arms 1 and 2, respectively; the mPFS in arm 1 was 4.37 vs. 3.90 (x(2)=0.182, P=0.670) in arm 2; and the mOS in arm 1 was 14.03 months vs. 9.46 months(x(2)=4.406, P=0.036) in arm 2. Calculations of univariate analyses of arm 1, R-CIK cycles >= 6, KPS >70, AFP <= 400 ng/ml, and findings of no vascular invasion and no extra-hepatic metastasis were potential predictive factors (P<0.05). Calculations from multivariate analyses similarly identified these factors as potentially having predictive value (P<0.05). The main adverse effects of R-CIK therapy included fever and headache pain. R-CIK treatment may prolong mOS in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients compared with conventional chemotherapy. Patients who underwent >= 6 cycles of R-CIK, had KPS scores >70, AFP >= 400 ng/ml, displayed no evidence of vascular invasion, and no extra-hepatic metastasis appeared to have longer survival times compared with other cohorts in the present study.