Intracavitary placement of autologous lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells after resection of recurrent glioblastoma

This study was performed to obtain safety and survival data for patients with histologically confirmed recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who received intralesional lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells following surgery. LAK cells were generated by incubating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with interleukin-2 for 3 to 5 days in vitro. Forty patients with pathologic confirmation of GBM at surgery had placement of autologous LAK cells into the tumor cavity. The 23 men and 17 women had a median age of 48 years (range 21-76). The median interval from the original diagnosis of glioma to LAK treatment was 10.9 months. Patients received an average of 2.0 +/- 1.0 x 10(9) LAK cells, with viability of 91 +/- 6.8%. Treatment was well tolerated; there was one death within 60 days. At a median follow-up of 2.3 years, median survival post-LAK was 9.0 months; 1-year survival was 34%. Gender, age, location of tumor, LAK cell lytic activity, number of cells implanted, and inclusion of interleukin-2 at cell instillation were not correlated with outcome. Median survival from the date of original diagnosis for 31 patients who had GBM at initial diagnosis was 17.5 months versus 13.6 months for a control group of 41 contemporary GBM patients (p(2) = 0.012). This treatment is safe and feasible. The median survival rates are higher than reported in most published series of patients who underwent reoperation for recurrent GBM. A randomized trial would be needed to establish therapeutic benefit.