HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Marvin M. Kirsh Mark B. Orringer Barry Katz Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kirsh, M. M. Articles by Silva, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kirsh, M. M. Articles by Silva, J., Jr.

Ann Thorac Surg 1984;38:140-145
© 1984 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Articles

Transfer Factor in the Treatment of Carcinoma of the Lung

Section of Thoracic Surgery and the Departments of Biostatistics and Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Accepted for publication October 12, 1983.

^* Address reprint requests to Dr. Kirsh, Section of Thoracic Surgery, C-7079 University Hospital, Box 32, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

From 1976 to 1982, 63 patients with carcinoma of the lung underwent curative pulmonary resection, mediastinal lymph node dissection, and postoperative mediastinal irradiation when indicated. After operation, the patients were randomized by cell type and stage of disease into two groups. Beginning 1 month postoperatively, Group 1 patients (N = 28) received 1 ml of transfer factor that had been extracted from the blood of normal individuals. Subsequent doses were administered at 3-month intervals. Group 2 patients (N = 35) served as controls. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, sex, extent of resection, histological cell type, or stage of disease. Twenty of the 28 treated patients were alive and free from disease from 7 to 77 months after treatment, whereas 17 of the 35 control patients were free from disease. The 1-year survival for Group 1 was 84% and for Group 2, 81%. The 2-year survival was 78% for Group 1 and 46% for Group 2 (p = 0.045). The survival rates by stage of disease were as follows: Stage I, 15 out of 17 or 88% in Group 1 and 15 out of 23 or 65% in Group 2 (p = 0.097); Stages II and III, 5 out of 11 or 45% in Group 1 and 3 out of 12 or 25% in Group 2 (p = 0.304).

The results of the study suggest that the administration of transfer factor to patients who have undergone pulmonary resection for carcinoma of the lung can have a significant impact on the prolongation of life.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. I. Whyte, M. A. Schork, H. Sloan, M. B. Orringer, and M. M. Kirsh Adjuvant treatment using transfer factor for bronchogenic carcinoma: Long-term follow-up Ann. Thorac. Surg., March 1, 1992; 53(3): 391 - 396. [Abstract] [PDF]