Transarterial immuno-chemotherapy including adoptive transfer of autologous cultured lymphocytes for stage IV breast cancer patients with locally-advanced tumor

Immuno-chemotherapy via a catheter in the subclavian artery using sequential treatment with OK-432, chemotherapeutic agents (ADM, 5-FU), and cultured autologous lymphocytes, was performed for 9 Stage IV breast cancer patients with locally-advanced primary tumor. Tumor reduction of more than 50% was observed in 8 patients including 4 whose breast tumors had disappeared. Among 11 evaluable distant metastatic lesions, 7 (1 pleural effusion, 2 lung, 2 liver, 2 bone metastases) regressed after local immunotherapy of breast or additional regional immunotherapy (1 lung, 1 liver, 1 pleural effusion). Median survival time to date is 56 months. Five patients are currently alive, although 3 of them did not undergo mastectomy. Local immuno-chemotherapy may be useful because (a) toxicity is limited, (b) low doses of anti-cancer agents during the therapy (median dose of ADM, 60 mg) do not limit subsequent systemic chemotherapy, and (c) distant metastases often regress concomitantly with the primary lesions.