Combination Therapy of Microwave Ablation and Cellular Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Combination Therapy of Microwave Ablation and Expanding Activated Autologous Lymphocytes for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The study is to observe safety, survival effect and peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets of combination therapy with percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) and adoptive immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).

HCC (D ≤5 cm, fewer than three tumors) patients were treated with radical MWA and 4-6 courses of immunotherapy with CIK every year. The immunotherapy were started at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 18 weeks and then every 12 weeks after MWA. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were differentiated into phenotypically confirmed DCs and effector cells. DC-CIK and CTL were injected into the abdominal cavity. CIK was infused intravenously. The safety, survival effect and peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets of combination therapy group will be recorded and compared with those of MWA group.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. single HCC of 5 cm or smaller;
2. three or fewer multiple HCC with a maximum dimension of 3 cm or less;
3. absence of portal vein thrombosis or extrahepatic metastases;
4. Child-Pugh classification A or B;
5. tumor accessible via a percutaneous approach. white blood cell count >2 x 109/L, platelet count >40 x 109/L,serum creatinine <110 μmol/L, aspartate aminotransferase <3 times the upper limit, serum bilirubin <2.5 times the upper limit, prothrombin time <19 seconds.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. pregnant or breast-feeding; psychiatric problems, addiction, or any other disorder that prevented informed consent;
2. active uncontrolled infection; concurrent systemic corticosteroid treatment;
3. systemic autoimmune disease;
4. clinically significant ischemic heart disease or cardiac failure;
5. and chemotherapy or radiotherapy within the preceding 6 months