Overview

• A retrospective analysis published in The Journal of Immunology found that adding CIK cell therapy to chemotherapy or surgery significantly extended overall and progression-free survival in colorectal cancer patients.
• CIK cells are generated by ex vivo expansion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with cytokine cocktails, producing potent, non–MHC-restricted cytotoxic activity against tumor cells.
• Elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels correlated with better responses to CIK therapy, indicating that a simple blood test could guide patient selection.
• A subset of patients remained unresponsive to CIK treatment, underscoring the importance of studying tumor microenvironment factors and immune evasion mechanisms.
• Lead investigator Dr. Yi Zhang and colleagues plan prospective clinical trials to evaluate combinatorial protocols integrating CIK therapy with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and new immunotherapeutics.