Objective        To analyze the changes of immune system after cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) as maintenance therapy in treatment of patien

ts with advanced lung cancer

to assess the effectiveness and safety of CIKs treatment

and to find out the factors that may influence the efficacy.       Methods        Forty-two patients with advanced lung cancer (stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ) admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University in Chongqing from July 2011 to July 2012 and treated with CIKs were enrolled as a CIKs group

and another 38 advanced lung cancer patients treated with optimal supportive care during the same period were enrolled as a control group. The changes of immune system (including subsets of T cells

immunoglobulin A

immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M)

therapeutic effects (response rate and disease control rate)

quality of life (KPS score)

and side effects were compared between the two groups. Furthermore

the factors that might influence the efficacy of CIKs therapy were evaluated.       Results        Compared with people without lung cancer

the ratios of CD3

+

CD4

+

and CD8

+

T cells significantly decreased (

P

<

0.05) in lung cancer patients. After CIKs treatment

the ratios of CD3

+

and CD4

+

T cells and CD4

+

/CD8

+

significantly increased (

P

<

0.05)

while there was no significant change in CD8

+

T cells

immunoglobulin A

immunoglobulin G

immunoglobulin M and cancer embryo antigen (CEA) (

P

>0.05). The response rate (RR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 42.9% and 83.3% in the CIKs group

which were significantly higher than those in the control group (7.9% and 55.3%). Tumor staging

metastasis in vital organs and KPS score were influencing factors for the effectiveness of CIKs treatment (P

<

0.05)

while sex

age and pathological type had no significant effect (

P

>0.05). KPS score significantly increased in the CIKs group (

P

=0.001)

while no obvious change was observed in the control group (

P

=0.191). Four patients suffered from transient fever or chills in the proce

ss of CIKs transfusion

and no other side effect was observed.       Conclusion        CIKs treatment

as a maintenance therapy

is safe and effective for advanced lung cancer patients

and can also improve the immune imbalance

RR

DCR and quality of life of the patients.