COMBINATION THERAPY WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINES AND STREPTOCOCCUS-PYOGENES PRODUCTS (OK-432) FOR ENDOGENOUS TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR THERAPY - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT
K. Haranaka et al., COMBINATION THERAPY WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINES AND STREPTOCOCCUS-PYOGENES PRODUCTS (OK-432) FOR ENDOGENOUS TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR THERAPY - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT, Cancer biotherapy, 10(2), 1995, pp. 131-138
The antitumor activity of combination therapy with traditional Chinese
medicines and OK432 (Streptococcus pyogenes) for cancer patients was
investigated Excellent antitumor activity of this treatment was achiev
ed in one patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. The present report de
scribes the clinical course of this patient and examines the contribut
ion of endogenous production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interf
eron-gamma (IFN). Endogenous production of TNF could be observed after
drip intravenous injection of OK 432 in the serum of patients treated
by previous oral administration of traditional Chinese medicines. The
serum levels of IFN were very low and remained at almost undetectable
levels under these conditions. The selective use of immunostimulants
such as traditional Chinese medicines may be of value in combination w
ith other therapies such las drip infusion of OK 432, in the treatment
of advanced cancer or of aged patients because of the low toxicity. O
ne patient out of 12 revealed a partial response as assessed by the an
titumor activity. However, with this treatment, patients did become fr
ee from pain and a good performance status was supported.