Immunological enhancement of chemotherapy in advanced brain cancer

Three hundred C3H mice were used to ascertain the validity of treatment of brain cancer with arsenicals and bacterial polysaccharide. It was found that this method of therapy was efficacious. Also, that a prophylactic effect was demonstrated. 2. In 14 patients with advanced intracranial neoplasm it was found: a) that no curative effect could be brought about once the cancer had spread beyond a certain point. This "point of no return" depends on tumor type, location and degree of brain destruction and general state of debility. b) That subjective and even some temporary objective improvement was possible even in advanced cancer. Necrosis of cancer tissue, that could be attributed to the therapy, was found in a number of cases. c) That some cases of brain cancer showed remarkable response to this form of therapy; more so if radiation therapy was given at the time of administration of the arsenical and bacterial polysaccharide. d) That some cases of brain metastasis showed "complete" destruction of the neoplasms in the brain although the patient subsequently died of the primary neoplasm and multiple metastasis. e) That the principle of enhancing the deposition of the curative material in the neoplasm by the use of bacterial polysaccharide is valid. f) That if this method of treatment (i.e. arsenical, bacterial polysaccharide and radiation) is instituted in the "early" cancer cases we may find it to be an efficacious mode of attack. g) That aresnical by mouth and bacterial polysaccharide by I.M. injection may be useful as a prophylactic to the formation of cancer. This may be contemplated for use in families that seem to show a predisposition to cancer formation. A mode of administration would probably be somewhat similary to the maintencance therapy described in the body of this paper. h) That bacterial polysaccharides have been shown to have the ability to destroy cancers.3,9 This method of enhancing the patients antigen-antibody reaction may eventually be used as a means of gaining an efficient vaccine in cancer therapy. i) Wherever possible definitive surgery should be carried out before the arsenical-bacterial polysaccharide-radiation method is instituted. j) In brain cancer, after craniotomy with removal of all or part of the neoplasm where feasible, the patient should be left with a subtemporal decompression. This will allow for the oedema of the brain that occurs with cerebral radiation therapy. k) That the principle of destruction of the cancer by certain special substances is valid. That the increase of affinity between cancer and destructive (curative) material can be brought about by administering a bacterial polysaccharide at the same time and that radiation therapy may enhance the beneficial effects of this method. 1) That the principle of brining the greatest toxicity to the cancer cells and the least toxic effect to the organism has been applied in the use of this method of treatment. m) That in some cases the cancer may not be destroyed by this therapy but may be made to retrogress or be held in check.