Combination chemotherapy plus methanol extracted residue of bacillus Calmette-Guérin or Corynebacterium parvum in stage III lung cancer.
Seventy-six patients with stage III bronchogenic carcinoma were treated with monthly adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II), and vincristine. In addition, they were randomized to receive either no immunotherapy, the methanol extracted residue of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (MER), or Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum). Age, histology, extent of disease, prior therapy, and performance status were comparable in the three treatment groups. Twelve patients (16%) died having received only one treatment cycle. Sixty-four of the 76 patients received two or more treatments and were evaluable for response. There were no patients with complete responses, 14 patients (18%) with partial responses, 28 patients (37%) with no change, and 22 patients (29%) with progressive disease. Survival among patients receiving C. parvum is significantly longer (P less than 0.05) than that of patients receiving either MER or no immunotherapy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin