Influence of rmhTNF on the chemotherapy treatment of small cell lung cancer

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of the recombinant mutant human tumor necrosis factor (rmhTNF) combined with chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were evaluated in this study. The selected 37 patients with SCLC were divided into experimental group (n=18) and control group (n=19). Both groups were subjected to EP regimen. While in the experimental group, a regimen of 4×10⁶ U/m² rmhTNF intramuscular injection was given once a day from the 1st to 7th day and 11th to 17th day on the chemotherapy cycle. Twenty-one days were as a chemotherapy cycle and all patients received treatment with 2 cycles. The response rate was 83.3% (15/18) in the experimental group and 63.2% (12/19) in the control group respectively (P<0.05). The KPS score after treatment was 78.4±9.6 in the experimental group and 71.2±9.7 in the control group with the difference being significant (P<0.05). No severe adverse effects occurred in the two groups. It was concluded that the curative effectiveness of the rmhTNF combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of SCLC was more satisfactory than chemotherapy alone. The former could obviously improve the quality of life of the patients with SCLC.

Keywords

lung neoplasm / recombinant mutant human tumor necrosis factor / combined chemotherapy

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