Abstract: Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of dendritic cell-cytokine induced killer cell (DC-CIK) immunotherapy
combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Thirty
patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with TACE combined with DC-CIK cell therapy and 38 patients treated with
TACE alone (control group) were compared for progression-free survival time, overall survival time, quality of life, and
treatment-related adverse events. Results The median progression-free survival was 16 months in the combined treatment
group as compared with 7 months in the control group (P=0.033). The median overall survival time was 24 months in the
combined treatment group and 13 months in the control group, with 1-year overall survival rates of 80% and 75.2% ,
respectively, showing no significant differences between the two groups (P=0.089). Multivariate analysis indicated that
Barcelona-Clinic-Liver-Cancer (BCLC) staging and AFP level before treatment were two independent risk factors of
progression-free survival time, and BCLC stage served also as an independent risk factor of the overall survival time. Ten
patients in the combined treatment group (33.3%) showed improved quality of life, as compared with 4 patients (10.5%) in the
control group (P=0.034). Three patients receiving DC-CIK treatment experienced fever and 1 had allergic reaction, and the
symptoms remitted after expectant treatment. Conclusion Compared with TACE alone, DC-CIK immunotherapy combined
with TACE can improve the patients’ progression-free survival time but not the overall survival time. The combined therapy
also improves the quality of life of the patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and shows good treatment safety.