To investigate the immunological effect of
Sizofilan (SPG) combined with
radiotherapy, we evaluated the immunological parameters in 22 patients with
uterine cervical cancers. Twelve cases were treated with SPG combined with
radiotherapy (SPG group), and the other ten cases, with
radiotherapy only (control group). As a result, 1) During
radiotherapy, the numbers of lymphocyte and CD2 positive cell decreased in SPG and control groups. After
radiotherapy, however, its numbers in SPG group became significantly higher than in control group (p less than 0.05). The number of CD3 positive cell also presented a tendency to increase after
radiotherapy in SPG group. As for CD20 positive cell, its numbers were kept unchanged after
radiotherapy in both two groups, and no significant difference was observed between them. 2) NK cell activity decreased during
radiotherapy in both two groups. After
radiotherapy, its activity in SPG group recovered to its pre-value and became significantly higher than that in control group (p less than 0.05). 3) SPG did not any prominent effect on CD4/CD8 ratio. 4) The adverse effect of SPG to liver or kidney function were not observed in our patients. The SCC level in SPG group decreased rapidly by
radiotherapy as well as that in control group, and no significant difference was observed in SCC levels between them. So it was suggested that SPG did not suppress the cytocidal effect of radiation to
cancer cells. Based on these findings, it was concluded that SPG prompted the recovery of not only lymphocyte, especially T cell, but also NK cell activity. These immunological findings presented a usefulness of clinical application of SPG to
radiotherapy in patients with
uterine cervical cancers.