IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF THYMOSIN α1 IN CANCER PATIENTS DURING CHEMOTHERAPY
Abstract：OBJECTIVE:To observe the immunomodulatory effects of thymosin αl in advanced cancer patients during chemotherapy. METHODS:20 patients with advanced cancer were randomly and equally divided to receive chemotherapy or chemotherapy in combination with thymosin α1 in a twice weekly dose of 1.6 mg by subcutaneous injection and the treatment was maintained for 2 months. The peripheral blood T cell levels (CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8 ) and natural killer(NK) activity of patients in both group were measured by flow cytometry before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the blood levels of CD4 and CD4/CD8 and NK cell activity in active group were significantly higher than that of before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, the NK cell activity in active group was significantly higher than that of control group ( P < 0.05 ). CONCLUSION: The immunological function of cancer patients is significantly elevated by Tα1 treatment, especially the NK cell activity and no obvious side effects were observed.
Keywords：Thymosin alpha 1Advanced carcinomaChemotherapyImmunologic function
Publication Date：1999-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2026-08-14(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：3( 834-836 )