Immune therapy of cancer

Besides what has been written by Dr. Carlos Schliemann in his Treaty about Biological Medicine, nowadays there are important officially recorded reports of investigations carried out in Europe, Canada and the USA:

• Dr. A. Büssing
• Dr. C. Stumpf
• Dr. Ch. Tautz
• Dr. J. Gutsch

Immunology

Dr. Büssing, immunologist, scientific researcher from the University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany, describes cancer as a phenomenon characterised by a slept organism that we need to wake up.

Through extensive pilot, experimental and prospective studies carried out in the main Medical Universities of Europe, Canada and the USA, it has been demonstrated that, up to now (2000), the only way to awaken the slept organism is through the immune system.

When our immunity falls to a level lower than the minimum recommended, our body is left at the mercy of a series of invasive phenomena, by which we are exposed to infection with any kind of viruses, even HIV.

Clinical studies registered in the WHO, showed that mistletoe treatments during conventional application of chemotherapy reduce side effects and enhance chemotherapy in general.

Dr. A. Büssing and Dr. Stumpf demonstrate the protective effect over immunocompetent cells of the application of mistletoe during controlled studies.

This effect can be observed in the significant increase of cell markers. Besides, the application during chemotherapy showed that mistletoe drastically reinforces the therapeutic effect by unprotecting tumoral cells, since mistletoe has cytostatic and cytotoxic effects over them during apoptosis, for it plays an important part in the control of normal (as well as tumoral) cell growth through immunity, a characteristic of morphologic modification of DNA.

When the apoptosic body is modified and tumoral cells are phagocitosed.

Mistletoe therapy

Adequate mistletoe therapy is suitable to improve the patient’s general condition and life quality, in addition to an extension of life.

Besides, we should mention Koch’s experiments about the necrosis generating effect that also led to the recommendation of the product for arthrosis, dermatosis and carcinoma treatment.

From these results it can be deduced that a mistletoe therapy is appropriate to improve a patient’s general condition, life quality and clinical recovery.

Besides the extension of the survival time, a decrease in the recidivation and metastasis rate was proven.

In inoperable tumors, as well as in continuous progression tumors (or on stages), an extension of the arrest periods, or a decrease of the progression was observed. Trials about intrapleural instillation of mistletoe extracts for effusion desiccation showed a rate of success comparable to that of conventional therapeutic procedures but without unwanted side effects.

It’s noticeable that even under i. v. infusion therapy with high doses of mistletoe (up to 7 g/d) no signs of clinical toxicity are found (see allergic reactions and forms of administration), while with the administration of individual substances in a corresponding dose, highly toxic effects would be expected, since according to their therapeutic object mistletoe extracts in cancerous diseases are not specifically administered to the tumor, but in a general way. The results of the studies should also be able to impress those who have not studied the theoretical factors underlying mistletoe cancer therapy.

It had excellent intravesical results in bladder carcinoma.

More information: pabluster3@latinmail.com

Under mistletoe therapy most of the patients declare to have had an increase of the productive capacity, and appetite, an increase of sleep, a nice warmth and a decrease of the tendency to get infected.

In the blood, it can regularly be observed an increase of leukocytes and lymphocytes as well as of theT4/T8 relation.

Mistletoe extract therapy is not limited to the period free from treatment in the clinical controls or in cases in which the illness is so advanced that available therapeutic means are no longer effective. Besides pre-cancer treatment, pre-operative medication is applied as immunostimulation in an additive treatment in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy a decrease of side effects and an improvement of the life quality are declared. Mostly after chemotherapy or radiotherapy intensified reactions to doses of mistletoe extracts can be observed. These are conditioned by the lack of immune suppressions caused by the primary therapy. The manufacturers notice that no injections must be applied in radiation areas. Injections in existing or disappeared local reaction areas are also contraindicated. In final and prefinal stages of cancerous disease it was possible to demonstrate a palliative effect after the infusion of high doses of mistletoe extracts. Nevertheless, for patients in the final stage who want to start a mistletoe therapy the aim of the treatment can only be a careful reinforcing action.

Some contraindications and side effects of mistletoe therapy can be deduced from the approach outlined in the introduction. Since mistletoe extracts are used to increase the patient’s body temperature, febrile infections and febrile condition of a different origin must be eventually considered as contraindications. Since mistletoe extracts treatment also aims to the intensification of the capacity to develop inflammatory reactions that are generally inactive, under mistletoe therapy a transition from chronic inflammations to an acute state can be frequently observed. Inflammatory vascular diseases and pregnancy are also contraindicated.

Due to the absence of toxicity in mistletoe extracts, the duration of the therapy is not limited in principle.

Clinical control should be ruled by the risk of recidivation. In general, it is suggested to extend the pauses after two years and to end therapy gradually after five years. In case of worsening of the patient, determined by facts such as increase of the tumoral markers and the occurrence of special psychosocial problems or dramatic events in the patient’s life, therapy must be restored, eventual therapeutic breaks discontinued or doses during maintenance therapy increased.

Lectin toxicity in antibody formation is a signal proven in extensive studies and assays in the main Universities of Europe (1995-99) that the pharmacological - oncologic relevance of mistletoe lies in the specificity of its substances’ composition.

Despite being already used in more than 8,000,000 patients with relevant results, and in more than 11,000 pilot experimental and prospective studies (mostly since 1995, controlled by WHO, and with USA’s FDA as anticancer agent) this is still the beginning of the study, being more extensive investigations needed to find new uses and applications.

Intra pleural-Intra peritoneal application

There is reliable documented evidence of the success in intrapleural instillation for desiccation. This form of application has a low rate of side effects.

Abstract: From January 1990 to December 1992, 20 patients with malign pleural effusions were treated with intrapelural instillations of Viscum album (Helixor) that were prospectively recorded. The pleurodesic effect was recorded according to WHO standards. A pleurodesis was observed in 11 from 18 patients assessable, two responded partially to treatment and four did not respond. The total rate of response was 72%. The liquid extracted on each puncture was used to carry out cytological, clinical, chemical and immune investigations. The statistical evaluation of the data showed a continuous decrease of tumoral cells in the liquid extracted by puncture. The lymphocyte population of the liquid from the effusion did not change significantly. Eleven from 13 examined patients already had anti-mistletoe lectin antibodies in the effusion before starting with Viscum album instillations. Therefore, pleurodesis due to mistletoe extract instillations can not be attributed to the lectins’ cytotoxic effect.

With a total response rate of 72%, Viscum album instillation is, in malign pleural effusion treatment, equivalent to pleurodesic treatment with tetracycline used as the first choice. Nevertheless, in Viscum album only in 1.2% of the instillations (degree I - WHO) light side effects appeared, which disappeared without treatment. Pleurodesis with Viscum album is methodically simple, efficient and with almost no side effects.

Introduction

During malign tumoral diseases, in an advanced stage, malign pleural effusions can be frequently observed. These effusions are the evidence of an unfavourable prognostic and reduce still more the patient’s quality of life, also damaged by the primary tumor. Therefore, the aim of malign pleural effusion treatment must be first, the improvement of the clinical discomfort through pleural cavity drainage. Besides, recidivation of the effusion must be avoided through pleurodesis.

In small effusions, the wanted results can be achieved through systematic cytostatic treatment especially if the primary tumors are breast or malign carcinomas. In big pleural effusions only by the application of a pleural catheter to drain the effusion can a recidivation be avoided in 45% of the cases. Through additional intrapleural instillation of fibrosis inducting substances, the remission rate can be risen to 70-80%.

During the last decades a multiplicity of therapeutic possibilities have been used to perform pleurodesis, such as talcum powder, radioisotopes, quinacrine, tetracycline, viscose fibrin instillation and cytostatics. Since local treatment of malign pleural effusion has only a palliative therapeutic object, the measures applied must be efficient but also to have almost no side effects.

Side effects resulting from different pleurodesic procedures have very different intensity. Some treatments such as pleurodesis with talcum powder and QUINACRINE are no longer used or are very rarely used due to the difficulties for their use and to their side effects. In spite of its high rate of success (90%), pleurectomia indication is very restrictive and is only recommended for refractory pleural effusions in the treatment of patients in excellent general conditions.

After the instillation of Coryrnebacterium parvum marked side effects were observed, such as fever in 53%, pleural pain in 47% and nauseas in 10% of the cases. After instillation of proteolytic enzyme, fever and light pleurodymia were observed in 72% of the patients, a pleural shock together with pleurodymia, tachycardia, depression of tension and cutaneous rash in two of the patients. Instillation of tetracycline applied frequently causes patients’ strong pleural pain and continuous fever during a period of 1 to 3 days. After instillation of viscose fibrin high fever was observed for several days. Side effects of the instillation of Mitoxantron (cytostatic), introduced only in the last years, are pleural pain, cough and thrombopenia.

Pleural instillations with mistletoe extracts have been successfully used for many years in the treatment of malign pleural effusions. Known publications about this form of application of mistletoe extracts are based on the clinical experiences of Salzer et al. 197 patients with pleural effusions were treated with intrapleural instillations of mistletoe extract (Iscador) with a rate of success of 92%. After instillation sub febrile temperatures were observed, while high fever or light pleural pains rarely occurred. Cytological examinations of the fluids obtained by puncture revealed a continuous reduction of tumor cells after instillation of mistletoe extracts. At the same time, an increase of lymphocytes and eosinophils was observed. In 9 patients the subpopulations of lymphocytes in the pleural effusions were determined before and after instillation. The tests revealed an increase of auxiliary cells and natural killers, as well as a reduction of suppressor cells. Therefore, it was concluded that intrapleural application has a cytostatic and immunomodulating effect.

Instillation with mistletoe extracts has been used for years in "Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke" hospital in the treatment of malign pleural effusions. A prospective documentation of the patients was carried out on the basis of results obtained by Salzer et al.

The aim was to investigate the rate of success of instillations with mistletoe extracts and to obtain knowledge about the local efficiency of these extracts through cytological and immune examinations of the pleural fluid.

Discussion

Comparison with other pleurodesic procedures.

In the present investigation, malign pleural effusions disappeared in 72% of the patients treated with instillation of mistletoe extracts. This result is comparable to the response rates from pleurodesic procedures commonly used. With a mean response rate of 70%, a tolerable side effect rate, fever in 33% and pleural pain in 42% of the patients, instillation with tetracycline is a first choice pleurodesic procedure.

Even with a rate of favourable response of 77%, and being more efficient and producing fewer side effects than instillation with tetracycline, in pleurodesis with viscose fibrin, the procedure is more complex and has higher costs. In the last years, intrapleural instillation with Mitoxanton, of which studies have revealed a high rate of favourable response, has been recommended. The study with Mitoxanton performed by Musch et al showed a success rate of 81% in 44 patients. Nevertheless, this result can not be compared to that from the present investigation, because in the latter the evaluation of responses to treatment was not carried out according to WHO standards. The response rate of 72% of this work is clearly higher than that achieved only by pleural punctures (4%) or that obtained through catheter application (45%). Therefore, it is based on the local effect on the intrapleural application of mistletoe extract preparations.

Side effects

Only in two cases from 20 treated patients, the instillation of Viscum album had side effects. Light pleural pain was observed in one of the cases, , and ardour in the other after instillation. No symptomatic treatment was needed.

Cytology and immunology

Only a few works are known in the literature about immunologic investigations of malign pleural effusions. Salzer’s et al publications report about an increase of lymphocytes as well as a reduction of tumor cells in the pleural fluid after instillation of mistletoe extracts. Through this investigation the idea of the reduction of cancer cells was supported. No significant correlations were found between treatment and other cell populations.

Encouraged by the cytological results of pleural fluids after instillation of mistletoe extracts performed by Böck and Salzer, Salzer and Popp examined the lymphocytic subpopulation of the pleural effusion and blood before and weekly after instillation of mistletoe extracts. In the pleural effusion as well as in blood, auxiliary cells and Natural Killers increased while suppressor cells were reduced. At the same time, after administration of mistletoe extracts, the rate of auxiliary/suppressor cells clearly rose.

See: International Investigation Centres.

There are three types of neoplasias: carcinoma, sarcoma, and leukaemia/lymphoma.

Therapy for children with solid tumors and acute leukaemia

This is an oncologic complement used in conventional chemotherapy, since it showed an better objective and subjective tolerance to cytostatics. Besides, complete remission can be achieved in a high percentage after chemotherapy, since consolidation of therapeutic effects, a better recovery and development of children activities were achieved through the continuity of the immune treatment.

Therapy Scheme

Subcutaneous injections in the area of the vertebral column three times a week in the morning. Ten drops of Pabluster every day.

Intratumoral Application

By Dr. C. Stumpf, S. Ramirez, Martinez, A. Becker, G. M. Stein, A. Büssing, M. Schietzel, C. Schliemann.

Intratumoral application is possible in certain applications. In solid tumors, achieving positive results that depend mainly on the general condition of the patient.

Method: in the photos, it is possible to observe three different endoscopies of an esophagus Aden carcinoma from a 70-year-old patient fed via parenteral in which case endoscopic tumoral application of a mistletoe preparation was chosen.

• Picture 1 was taken 4 days after the first intratumoral injection.
• Picture 2, 3 ½ weeks after the first intratumoral injection
• Picture 3, 4 ½ weeks after the first intratumoral injection

In a period of 6 weeks the patient was submitted to 9 intratumoral applications (see table 1). After the chosen therapy (see mistletoe applications) intratumoral applications were effected. In each session mistletoe was injected in several sites of the tumor. During application and later on no complications took place.

In each endoscopic session the following was observed: tumor size, solidity, and depth of needle penetration. Photographic evidence was also documented.

After each session lab controls, lymphocytes differentiation, Serum-Electrophoresis-CRP and Cortisol were made.

Results: Tumor size and condition are observed in the first endoscopic examination. After the first application the beginning of a tumor necrosis can be clearly observed. Tumor reduction could be observed until the 5^th application (60-mg). Penetration depth varied from 2,2 to 3 cm.

We can conclude that mistletoe endoscopic intratumoral injections are tolerable due to the absence of side effects and, besides, they are effective.

Annette Bojp wrote in her book "Cancer Teraphy with Mistel"

Centros internacionales qúe se dedican a la investigación de los preparados a base de Mistel.
Iscador de Suiza - Helixor - Abnoba Viscum - Isorel de Alemania y Pabluster y Mistel de Argentina del Dr. Carlos Schliemann.