ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate effects of dendritic cells (DC) vaccine on immune function in postoperative gastric cancer patients Methods DCs were extracted and pulsed with self tumor antigens in vitro Fifty patients with gastric cancer were divided into 2 groups randomly Four times of DC vaccinations were administered at 7 days intervals to the postoperative patients in treatment group after they underwent chemotherapy The control group were treated with chemotherapy only The level of IL 12 、 IFN ? and IL 4 in peripheral blood were analysed Results In DCs group, the levels of IL 12 were 37?4、 68?6、 96?12 and 59?9 pg/ml, the levels of IFN ? were 61?12、 134?19、 145?20 and 111?15 pg/ml, and levels of IL 4 were 55?7、 49?6、 46?5 and 50?8 pg/ml before and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after vaccination, respectively In control group, the levels of IL 12 were 39?7、 45?9、 44?10 and 44?6 pg/ml, the levels of IFN ? were 63?10、 61?13、 62?11、 61?7 pg/ml, and levels of IL 4 were 52?11、 55?9、 53?10、 55?8 pg/ml before and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after vaccination, respectively The levels of IL 12 and IFN ? increased significantly in DCs group No severe side effects were found during treatment Conclusion DC vaccine improves immune function of posroprative patients with gastric cancer