Immunomodulator in combination treatment of patients with ovarian cancer and its influence on DNA cytometric and immunological parameters.
e18079 Background: Immunotherapy in oncology has now proven effective, but standard approaches have not yet been defined. Ways to optimize and increase the effectiveness of treatment with immunomodulators, in particular interferon-gamma preparations, in such patients remain an urgent problem of gynecological oncology. The purpose of the study was to improve direct results of ovarian cancer treatment. Methods: The study included patients aged 50-77 years with inoperable ascitic ovarian cancer (verified by cytological examination of ascitic fluid), stage IIIC-IV, receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in combination with immunotherapy with interferon-gamma (IFNγ). Group I – 26 patients, CT with carboplatin (AUC-6), paclitaxel (175 mg/m2); group II – 22 patients, chemoimmunotherapy and intramuscular IFNγ (ingaron) - 500 000 IU on day 1, 1 million IU on days 2,3,5, a similar CT on day 4; group III – 24 patients, chemoimmunotherapy and intraperitoneal IFNγ (ingaron) - 500 000 IU on day 1, 1 million IU on days 2,3,5, a similar CT on day 4. Patients received on average 2-3 therapy cycles. Results: Progression was registered only in group I in 3.8%; complete response in patients without IFNγ – 7.8%, with intramuscular and intraperitoneal IFNγ – 27.3% and 37.5% (p≤0.05) respectively. Surgical treatment followed in all patients, with total surgeries in 87.5% of patients with intraperitoneal IFNγ. DNA cytometry showed the minimal number of aneuploid tumors in patients with intraperitoneal IFNγ (16.6%), while in patients without immunotherapy 38.4%. The DNA index statistically significantly decreased by 1.3 times in patients with intraperitoneal IFNγ compared with patients without IFNγ (1.11±0.01% vs. 1.4±0.05% respectively) (p≤0.05). Levels of CD3+CD4+ cells elevated by 1.2 times (from 36.2±1.6 to 44.9±3.78%, p≤0.05) in patients with intramuscular IFNγ; intraperitoneal IFNγ caused an increase in CD3+ lymphocytes by 1.3 times (from 62.1±2.8 to 77.9±2.94%, p < 0.05) and CD3+CD4+ by 1.4 times (from 36.2±1.6 to 50.6±5.9%, p≤0.05). Conclusions: Interferon-gamma (ingaron) in combination with CT improves direct results of the treatment; intraperitoneal injections of interferon-gamma demonstrated better outcomes and tolerance confirmed by immunological and DNA cytometric parameters.