Effect of thymosin alpha 1 on cellular immune function in elderly patients with malignant tumor.
- Author:
Yun-mei YANG
1
;
Xue-ying LU
;
Wei-dong HUANG
;
Mei-ya SHEN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Female; Humans; Killer Cells, Natural; drug effects; immunology; Male; Neoplasms; drug therapy; immunology; psychology; Quality of Life; Thymosin; analogs & derivatives; pharmacology; therapeutic use
- From: Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2003;32(4):339-341
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of thymosin alpha 1 on cellular immune function in the elderly patients with malignant tumor.
METHODSThirty patients with malignant tumor were injected with thymosin alpha 1 subcutaneously at the dose of 1.6 mg q.d. for the first month and q.o.d. for the following month. The number of T cell subgroups and the activity of NK cell in peripheral blood were detected and the quality of life of the patients were evaluated before treatment and at the end of treatment.
RESULTTreatment of thymosin alpha 1 increased the number of CD4 cells and improved the NK activity, and also improved the quality of life of the elderly patients with malignant tumor. There were no side effects found.
CONCLUSIONThymosin alpha 1 can enhance the cellular immune function of the elderly patients with malignant tumor.
