Investigations on the methods of clinical application of a soluble BCG fraction (F70) in lung cancer
Hadźiev, S.; Kavaklieva-Dimitrova, J.; Mandulova, P.
Neoplasma 26(1): 3-11
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2685 PMID: 219380 Document Number: 150190
Several parameters for an optimal treatment scheme of a soluble BCG fraction (F70) were investigated. Among lung cancer patients treated with F70 a restricted selection was made of patients treated with small doses (5--10 U) every second or third month (sparing scheme) and of patients treated every month with sharply increasing doses up to tens of thousands units (aggressive scheme). It was found that the survival rate and the rate of marked X-ray regressions were higher in the former group. As it was previously established for lung cancer patients treated with living BCG, in the group of sparing scheme-treated patients the longest survival period pertained to patients treated once and patients treated twice or three times and an inverse correlation existed between the number of applications of F70 and the mean survival period. It was concluded that, as with living BCG, a sparing approach to the immunotherapy of lung cancer with F70 is to be preferred to an aggressive approach. Illustrative cases treated once, twice and three times are presented.