PREOPERATIVE IMMUNOSTIMULATION BY PROPIONIBACTERIUM-GRANULOSUM-KP-45 IN COLORECTAL-CANCER

In order to improve the perioperative resistance to the spread of canc el during operation the effect of preoperative stimulation of the immu ne system by Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45 was investigated in-pa tients with colorectal carcinoma. In a prospective randomized trial 10 1 patients were allocated to either treatment (n=51) or control (n=50) . In the treatment 10 mg of Propioni bacteria were administered intrav enously between the seventh and third day prior to surgical treatment. At the time of operation 21 tumours were classified as stage I (treat ment n= 12, control n = 9), 22 as stage II (treatment n = 10, control n = 2). Postoperatively wound infections requiring treatment were more prevalent in the control group (n = 4) than in the treated group (n = 0). All patients were subsequently followed up for 76 months. For sta ge I carcinoma the survival rates, excluding perioperative deaths, wer e 91% in the treated and 63% in the control group respectively. One ca se of tumour metastasis was seen in the control group. For stage II ca rcinoma the survival rate was 90% for the treated group with distant s pread in I case and 45% in the control group where the rate of recurre nce was 55%. For stages III and IV there was no statistically signific ant difference in survival between the treated and the control groups.