Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 1997; 2: 196
In spite of a lot of clinical evidence, in parts contradictory, of the usefulness of thymic peptides in cancer treatment, little is known about their basic mechanisms of action. Changes in relevant immunocytotoxicities by thymic peptides were to be measured.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes from 85 patients (medium age 61 y) with colorectal (46 cases) and mammary (22) carcinomas as well as malignant melanomas (17) not receiving any therapy were studied. Growth inhibition of human colon carcinoma cells (SW 620) mediated by NK(natural killer), LAK(lymphokine activated killer), and MAK(monocyte activated killer) cell activity were measured in the presence and absence of the low-molecular thymic peptide preparation Thymoject® (TJ).
NK-, LAK- and basal tumouristatic activity of monocytes from tumour patients were significantly depressed as compared to healthy controls. TJ was unable to increase NK-cell activity while able to do so for deficient LAK-cell activity and basal activity of monocytes. A higher proportion of responders to TJ was found amongst patients than controls. The response seemed to be decreasing with advanced tumour stages.
In vitro data from immunocytotoxic assays seem to reflect clinical experience with thymic preparations. With the described data, careful planning of a clinical study was possible.
