Management of Leukemia with Limiting Amino Acid Diet, Especially Low Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Diet (the 2nd Report)

Abstract

It has been already reported by us that the growth of the implanted tumor is remarkablly affected by the restriction of essential amino acids. From our amino acid imbalance studies, it has been found that the restriction of phenylalanine causes the returdation of tumor without any undesireble side effect against the host. Such effect of phenylalanine deficient diet has also been found to be accelerated by the restriction of tyrosine. The phenylalanine hydroxylase activity of liver decreased remarkablly in the tumor bearing animal. Foretheremore, it has also been confirmed that the restriction of an essential amino acid causes the elongation of the doubling time of tumor cell.From the experimental facts mentioned above, the effectiveness of amino acid imbalance diet has been clinically investigated in all types of leukemia and other malignant diseases. The patients have been treated initially with low phenylalanine diet and then recently with low phenylalanine-tyrosine diet. The combined restriction therapy of phenylalanine and tyrosine seemed to be more effective than the single restriction of phenylalanine. Phenylalanine-tyrosine limiting milk according to our prescription has been used as the main nitrogen source of the diet. The dosis of phenylalanine and of tyrosine supplied daily were 1.8g. respectively for adult and were 1.1g. for infant. Such phenylalanine dosis as mentioned above exceeds slightly the lowest essential dosis of it.Up to now, 22 patients were treated with this amino acid imbalance diet for one month to tow and half years, without any side effect. The patients treated with this diet were as follows; 11 cases of acute leukemia including 5 infants, 6 cases of chronic leukemia and 5 cases having solid malignant tumor. Single application of this diet not so effective except few successful cases. The clinical responce against chemotherapy, however, was remarkably improved with this diet therapy and long term remission was obtained. One case of malignant lymphoma has been well controled for long time with this diet therapy only.