title: Reducing malignant ascites accumulation by repeated intraperitoneal administrations of a Viscum album extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant ascites is a major problem in the management of advanced stages of certain malignancies. The possibility of reducing the accumulation of ascites by intraperitoneal injections of a Viscum album extract (Iscador M) was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients, with end-stage malignancies of varying histology, requiring repeated peritoneal punctures, were eligible for analysis. The time-interval between the first two punctures was measured and defined as the baseline. Following each subsequent puncture, Iscador M 10 mg was injected intraperitoneally. The intervals between later punctures were compared to previous intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the first injection, the median time-interval between injections increased from 7 to 12 days, reaching 13 days after the second injection. No toxicity was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This phase II study suggests that installation of Iscador M into the peritoneal cavity may reduce the need for repeated punctures. A randomized trial is needed to confirm these promising preliminary results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Rambam Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. g_barsela@rambam.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bar-Sela
authors.forename: Hadassah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Amnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuten
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001201:Ascites / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D019152:Paracentesis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D028182:Viscum album
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; C077177:viscum album peptide