Toxic and immunologic side effects of daily C. parvum-infusion in treatment-resistant cancer patients.

Daily increasing intravenous doses of Corynebacterium parvum (C.p.) up to 5 mg/m2 i.v. X 10-14 days were given to 6 patients with widespread metastatic neoplastic diseases resistant to radio- and chemotherapy. The immunotherapy treatment-cycles were evaluated for toxic and immunologic side effects and also for possible clinical benefit to the patients. Immunotherapy with i.v.-C.p. was moderately well tolerated. Subjective discomfort for the patients (headache, chills, nausea) was not better tolerated with ongoing treatment-doses. After the 3rd day the body temperature rose nearly regularly to 40 degrees and more within 3-4 h after i.v.-C.p. and returned to normal levels about 6-10 h after the infusion was stopped. Hematological values were monitored on day 1, 4, 8, 15. WBC counts rose after an initial moderate decrease to normal levels. Monocyte counts rose also after an initial transient fall to pre-treatment levels. The monocytic activity index of Naphthol-AS-D-Chloro-Acetate-Esterase, correlating with the monocyte turnover, did not show a significant change. Granulocyte counts, especially stabs, increased slightly. Lymphocyte counts, the number and relations of B, T and O-cells, did not change in a uniform typical way. Hemoglobin values fell in all patients, reticulocyte counts increased, and the blood sedimentation rate did not change.