Factors related to the spontaneous regression of cancer
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Factors Related to the Spontaneous Regression of Cancer “Spontaneous regression of cancer is the most fascinating chapter of medicine” Willam Οsler
Editorial D.S. Botseas Received 21/05/2012 Accepted 30/06/2012
Abstract The goal of the present editorial is to remind us of a very rare phenomenon in medicine, which is the spontaneous regression of cancer. Factors related to this type of regression are mentioned. Among them are the following: • Infections • Fever and therapeutic hyperthermia • Hormonal factors • Various other factors • Exclusion of inaccurate diagnosis of malignancy of a tumour is essential to the validity of reported cases.
Key words:
Cancer, Spontaneous regression, Regression of cancer
Introduction Spontaneous regression of cancer is a rare phenomenon that occurs once in every 60.000 to 100.000 cancer victims [1,2]. In some particular types of cancer, it is more frequent. For example, in melanoma it is estimated to happen in one out of 400 cases of melanoma patients. Likewise, in infant neuroblastoma, it occurs in one out of 6 patients with this particular cancer. Infants under one year of age, in particular, have a very good chance of undergoing spontaneous regression in contrast to older children, among whom this cancer may behave rather aggressively [3]. Several investigators have discovered a number of factors related to spontaneous regression of cancer. Some of these factors are listed below.
Factors Related to the Spontaneous Regression of Cancer • Infections or suppuration of wounds is a factor which has been correlated with spontaneous regression in
D.S. Botseas M.D., F.A.C.S. (Corresponding author) - Surgeon Athens General Clinic & Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece - F. resident Roswell Park Cancer Center, Buffalo N.York e-mail: [email protected]
cancer patients. In 1868, professor Busch [4] reported a cancer patient whose tumour regressed following an infection by Streptococcus pyogenes. This particular case, possibly, inspired Coley [5-7], a surgeon at Memorial Hospital in New York, to prepare an extract from killed Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, which he used to inject into the tumours of patients suffering from advanced sarcomas that were considered to be inoperable. The injections were administered twice a week and for periods extending to several months. This method, however, was overshadowed by the progress of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It was eventually forgotten after Coley’s death in 1936. Recent studies, however, by Wiemann and Starnes (1994) [8] revealed that advanced sarcoma patients who had received such injections had a 5-year survivial of 44%. In addition to this finding, other studies by Nauts and McLaren [9] revealed that those batches of Collin’s “toxin” - as the aforementioned preparation was known - that produced high fever, were more effective than other series. Administered over 6 months, these specific infections achieved an increased patient survival of 80% that lasted from 5 to 88 years. Another report by Ruckdeschel [10] demonstrated that patients w
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