Efficacy of streptococcal preparation OK-432 for gastric cancer patients--comparison between intradermal and intramuscular injection.

Nonspecific immunotherapy with OK-432, penicillin and heat treated lyophilized powder of Su-strain of streptococcus pyogens A3, was evaluated in patients with recurrent or unresectable stomach cancer to assess the relative benefit of the preparation administered by different routes. Comparative studies were made of the variation in immunological parameters, the survival rate and the incidence of adverse reactions in two groups of patients with uniform background factors: 24 receiving the preparation intradermally and 18 receiving intramuscular doses of the preparation. In for former group, no serious adverse reaction occurred but more marked improvement was achieved in various immunological parameters examined. The survival rate was significantly higher (P = 0.005) for patients receiving intradermal than those receiving intramuscular doses of the preparation. The results of the present study showed that the preparation is of greater value when it is administered intradermally than intramuscularly.