Stimulation of antitumour immunity by intrapleural instillation of a VISCUM ALBUM L. extract

Journal/Book: AntiI-Cancer-Drugs 8 (suppl.1), 23-26. 1997;

Abstract: Intrapleural administration of mistletoe extracts is reported to resultin pleurodesis in cancer patients with malignant pleural effusions. In arecent study, 20 consecutive cancer patients with malignant pleuraleffusions were treated intrapleurally with the mistletoe extractHelixor. The overall response rate for pleurodesis was 72%, with only1.2% displaying side effects of the World Health Organizationclassification I. The decline of tumour cells in the effusion liquidcorrelated negatively with the number of instillations. However, theelimination of tumour cells was associated with a transient increase inmacrophages and eosinophils, and a constant increase in CD8+ T cells.Compared to the responder group, the non-responders exhibited highproportions of macrophages, CDB8+ T cells and T cells with humanleukocyte antigens with DR specificity (HLA-DR) in the effusion liquid,compatible with a disturbance of macrophage/T cell co-operation and thusfailure to eliminate the malignant cells. The preliminary resultssuggest that mistletoe-mediated pleurodesis is due to a stimulation ofantitumour immunity rather than mechanical sclerosis.COPYRIGHT BY Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands END OF DOCUMENT

Keyword(s): Medical:tumor-immunity

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