Treatment of Advanced Malignant Melanoma by a Pyrogenic Bacterial Lysate. A Pilot Study

Abstract

Fifteen patients (8 female, 7 male) with advanced melanoma received intravenous injections of a pyrogenic bacterial lysate consisting of streptococci and serratia marcescens. In three cases with skin metas-tases, this kind of treatment resulted in a total and long lasting remission. In another case with inguinal lymphnode metastases, a five month period of stability was achieved. The remaining eleven patients showed further progression of their disease. Side-effects of therapy included fever, nausea, headache, back pain, and – occasionally – herpes labialis. Laboratory analysis revealed a marked increase in the blood counts of monocytes 24 and 48 hours after injection of the bacterial lysate, while other hemopoietic cells did not show significant alterations. During peak temperatures four to six hours after injection, TNF-alpha serum levels were elevated correlating with the increase in body temperature. The increase in concentration of complexes of thrombin-antithrombin III, prothrombin fragments and soluble fibrin during peak temperatures indicate an activation of the coagulation system without evidence, however, of consumption coagulopathy.

Induction of heat shock protein 70 genes in human lymphocytes during fever therapy

“…This study demonstrates that HSP70 protein and mRNA can be induced de novo under fever conditions in human PBMCs. The data were obtained during fever therapy of melanoma patients [16]. The induction of HSP70 is not the unique effect of a special pyrogen.…”

“…Induction of the heat shock response was tested in patients (Table 1) suffering from metastatic melanoma and undergoing fever therapy. The patients were treated either with lyophilized benzylpenicillin-treated Streptococcus pyrogenes group A (OK-432, Picibanil, Chugai Pharmaceutical Company, Tokyo, Japan) [15] or with an autolysate of Serratia marcescens and streptococci (Vaccineurin, Südmedica, Munich, Germany) [16]. Application was intravenous except for patient 7, who received Picibanil intradermally into the tumour.…”

Spontaneous Regression of Advanced Malignant Melanoma

“…Due to the frequently observed association of spontaneous regression with febrile infection, experimental treatments with bacterial lysates commenced after the second half of the 19th century and are still being attempted to date [43,52,53]. Kölmel et al [54] found physiological changes in serum parameters measured after intravenous doses of toxins. At the peak temperature increased values for interleukin-1, interleukin-2, interferon-gamma and the tumor necrosis factor, and after 48 h, an increased value for monocytes, natural killer cells, and B and T lymphocytes are found.…”

Fever in Cancer Treatment: Coley's Therapy and Epidemiologic Observations

“…34,36,37 Otherwise, MBV was largely safe. 18,19,[38][39][40] Up to 15 different preparations of MBV existed, but not all were potent enough to induce high fever and durable remissions. 30,41 This was particularly the case with the commercial preparations used mostly outside of New York.…”