ENDOSCOPIC LOCAL INJECTION OF A NEW DRUG-DELIVERY FORMULATION, ANTICANCER DRUG BOUND TO CARBON PARTICLES, FOR DIGESTIVE CANCERS - PILOT-STUDY

A new dosage formulation consisting of an anticancer drug bound to act ivated carbon particles was developed for the treatment of digestive c ancer in patients in whom operation is contraindicated. The new formul ation is designed to distribute higher levels of anticancer drug to th e regional lymph nodes and at the injection site compared to distribut ion of the drug in aqueous solution. In 12 patients with histologicall y proven carcinoma (7 with superficial esophageal cancer and 5 with ea rly or proper muscle layer-infiltrating gastric cancer), an anticancer drug bound to carbon particles (total dose, 40-100mg peplomycin or 25 0-500mg methotrexate per person) was injected endoscopically into the primary lesions. Eleven of the 12 patients are currently alive, 12-64 months after therapy, or they died without evidence of cancer 12-98 mo nths after the treatment. One patient has remained cancer-free for 32 months after a second course of the new formulation therapy given to t reat a recurrence detected 26 months after the first treatment. Endosc opic injection of this new dosage formulation seems to control these d igestive cancers in patients in whom operation is contraindicated.