title: Anticancer activity of a lectin-rich mistletoe extract injected intratumorally into human pancreatic cancer xenografts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In single case observations, tumour remissions after intratumoral injections of mistletoe extracts have been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the antitumour activity of intratumorally (i.t.)-injected lectin-rich mistletoe extract at different dosages and i.t.-injected mistletoe lectin I in comparison to intravenous (i.v.) Gemcitabine and i.t. treatment with placebo in a human pancreatic cancer xenograft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a preliminary dose-response experiment, the most marked tumour inhibition was induced when mistletoe extract was given at 8 mg/kg body weight (BW) and mistletoe lectin I at 5.3 microg/kg BW. In a second experiment, bi-weekly i.t. injections of mistletoe extract over 8 weeks resulted in a very high antitumour activity with an optimal T/C value (=median relative tumour volume of the test group vs. the control) of 0.4% combined with 3/8 partial and 3/8 complete remissions. Gemcitabine was less active with 2/8 partial and 1/8 complete remissions and an optimal TIC of 4.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  I.t.-injected lectin-rich mistletoe extract should be further evaluated in patients with inoperable locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. rostock@tumorbio.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rostock
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scheer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schueler
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fiebig
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C488862:mistletoe lectin I; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine