Immunotherapy with dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells for hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been revealed as the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The introduction of cell-based immunotherapy, including dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs), has brought HCC patients an effective benefit. However, the efficacy and necessity of cellular immunotherapy after different interventional therapy remains to be further explored. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of cellular immunotherapy, involving DCs and CIKs, combined with different conventional treatments of HCC. METHODS: We performed a literature search on PubMed and Web of Science up to February 15, 2019. Long-term efficacy (overall survival and recurrence) and short-term adverse effects were investigated to assess the effectiveness of immunotherapy with DCs and/or CIKs. Review Manager 5.3 was used to perform the analysis. RESULTS: < 0.00001). Adverse effect assessment addressed that immunotherapy with DCs and/or CIKs was accepted as a safe, feasible treatment. CONCLUSION: Combination immunotherapy with DCs, CIKs and DC/CIK with various routine treatments for HCC was evidently suggested to improve patients' prognosis by increasing overall survival and reducing cancer recurrence.