[Immunochemotherapy of carcinomatous peritonitis and pleuritis--report of 2 cases]

Intraperitoneal and pleural immunotherapy has been used as an effective therapy for malignancy. Recently we treated two patients with peritonitis and pleuritis due to cancer by intraperitoneal and pleural administration of IFN-gamma, OK-432 and antitumor agents. One patient with gastric cancer (stage IIIb) was treated with intraperitoneal administration of IFN-gamma and OK-432 in combination with intraarterial infusion of MMC, ADM, 5-FU and CDDP. Two months later, ascites and pleural fluid diminished. Another patient with ovarian carcinoma (stage IV), was administered IFN-gamma, OK-432 and CDDP into ascites with general medication of CDDP and Epi-ADM. Two months later, her ascites and tumor size decreased. This patient was treated with palaplatin every two months for the ten months and hysterosalpingecctomy and tumorectomy of Douglas pouch were performed at the sixteenth month. The histopathological examination of resection from this patient showed complete necrotic tissue of tumor. Endogenous cytokine therapy with intraperitoneal and pleural administration of IFN-gamma for priming and OK-432 for eliciting in combination with antitumor agents may be effective treatment for malignant peritonitis and pleuritis.