Thymosin Alpha-1 Boosts Cancer-Fighting Immunity with Heated Chemotherapy

Advanced abdominal cancers, such as those causing peritoneal carcinomatosis, are often treated with Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), a procedure combining surgery with heated chemotherapy directly applied to the abdominal cavity. While effective, HIPEC can sometimes suppress the immune system, limiting its long-term success and increasing recurrence rates. Understanding how to enhance the anti-tumor immune response post-HIPEC to improve patient outcomes remains a critical knowledge gap.

The study revealed that while HIPEC alone significantly reduced tumor volume by 35% compared to untreated controls (p<0.01), the addition of thymosin α1 dramatically enhanced this effect. The combination therapy (HIPEC + thymosin α1) resulted in a 72% reduction in tumor volume, which was a 2.06-fold greater reduction than HIPEC alone (p<0.001). This enhanced efficacy was correlated with robust immunological changes; the combination group showed a 3.1-fold increase in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells (cytotoxic T lymphocytes, crucial for killing cancer cells) and a 2.5-fold increase in natural killer (NK) cell activity compared to HIPEC alone. Furthermore, systemic immunosuppression markers, such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), were reduced by 40% in the combination group. > The most significant finding was that thymosin α1 synergistically enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of HIPEC, leading to a 72% reduction in tumor burden and a 3.1-fold increase in anti-cancer immune cells, far surpassing HIPEC monotherapy.