Reduction of infection frequency by intravenous gammaglobulins during intensive induction therapy for small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Abstract

Thirty-two patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung received intensive induction chemoradiotherapy. In a randomized prospective study, we compared the outcome of patients who received 30 g immunoglobulin i.v. divided into three doses per therapy course for infection prophylaxis (Group A) with patients undergoing the same anti-tumor therapy (Group B). All patients were prospectively randomized to one of two groups in order to evaluate the role of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for infection prophylaxis. Group A received 30 g intravenous immunoglobulin during each course of chemotherapy. Group B was a control group that received identical chemoradiotherapy but did not receive any immunoglobulin therapy. All patients had a severely impaired cellular immune response. IgG serum concentrations were significantly higher in group A. Patients who received intravenous immunoglobulin had significantly fewer infections during the entire treatment period than patients who did not receive prophylactic treatment.