Multimodal Viscum album L. treatment in an integrative oncological setting in patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract

Viscum therapy is one of the mainstays of integrative cancer reatment in Germany and is alsowidely used in pancreatic cancer. onventional treatment modalities in this type of cancer (12000 ew cases per year in Germany) are still unsatisfactory. Within the Network of Oncology we have performed a monoentre analysis using our common database “QuaDoSta” and nalysed data of 95 unselected patients presenting with adenoarcinoma of the pancreas at our centre (Klinik and AnthroMed schelbronn) between January 2007 and September 2010. At initial diagnosis patients all were classified as UICC II–IV, 63% ere classified as UICC III or IV. All were evaluated for integrative ancer treatment at our centre. Their vital status was evaluted by active follow-up to April 2011. 78% of patients received hemotherapy, most of them in a palliative setting. 89% of patients eceived Viscum treatment in a subcutaneous treatment schedule. he Viscum preparation was in most cases Abnobaviscum Fraxni. Single patients received treatment courses with intravenous iscum album. In addition, nearly all patients received one of the following reatment modalities within an anthroposophical therapy conept: psycho-oncology, physiotherapy, music therapy, eurythmy, utritional and palliative medical care. 18% of patients received ocoregional hyperthermia and 25% of the patients had a median umber of 9 moderate whole body hyperthermia sessions. The edian survival of all patients (n=95)was 15.2months, 18patients re still alive in April 2011. 8 patients of those living in April 2011 ere inUICC stage IV at initial diagnosis andhave amedian survival ime of 22 months. These are promising data compared to published survival times n this groupof patients (6–9monthsmedian survival inUICC III/IV) nd may show a benefit from an integrative approach in the treatent of patients with pancreatic cancer. Prospective studies are ow mandatory and have been initiated within the Network of ncology.