[Clinical effects of PSK on esophageal and gastric cancer patients and usefulness of serum levels of glycoproteins and HLA antigens as prognostic indicators].

This study was carried out to evaluate whether the preoperative levels of serum glycoproteins (CEA, SCC, TPA, IAP, ACT, ASP and sialic acid) and HLA antigens (class I and II) could be potential aids in the selection of suitable gastric and esophageal cancer patients for postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy of PSK. Gastric cancer patients underwent gastrectomy and received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (MMC, FT and ADR) with or without PSK. One hundred and forty esophageal cancer patients in cooperative study groups (organizing chairman; Dr. Hiroshi Satoh) underwent esophagectomy and received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy (FT, BLM) with or without PSK. The efficacy of PSK was recognized in the patients with normal levels of all glycoproteins in gastric cancer, and with normal levels of CEA or SCC or TPA and abnormal levels of one or more APRs in both gastric and esophageal cancer, and with positive HLA-B40 antigen. The combination of tumor-associated factors, such as CEA, SCC and TPA and various non-specific reactants such as APRs was useful as a prognostic indicator. In addition, some of HLA antigens were also valuable. The pretreatment levels of glycoproteins and HLA antigens have potential aids in the selection of patients with gastric and esophageal cancer for PSK treatment.