Immunomodulating properties of bestatin in cancer patients. A phase II trial.

Thirty-four patients with cancer (30) or ARC (4) with severe T cell defect or imbalance persisting a long time after completion of any cytostatic treatment were treated by bestatin 30 mg/day 3 days per week during three weeks. The drug has no toxicity of any kind. Reassessment of T cell subsets after completion of bestatin therapy showed a significant improvement of the absolute number of CD4 cells in peripheral blood. CD8 subsets wether initially increased or decreased were modified towards normalisation but the modification reached statistical significance only in the subgroup with initial absolute defect of CD8 cells. CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly increased whether considering all cycles of therapy, or all those given to patients with initially high or normal CD8 subsets. Bestatin appears to have immunomodulating properties which might be useful in cancer patients.