UKRAIN (NSC 631570) IN COMBINATION WITH LOCOREGIONAL HYPERTHERMIA IN THE TREATMENT OF PANCREATIC CANCER WITH LIVER METASTASES: A CASE REPORT

KLEEF R.

Heat and Immunotherapy Institute (IWIT), Vienna, Austria.

Address for correspondence: R. Kleef, Institut für Wärme- und Immuntherapie IWIT, Windmühlgasse 30/7, A-1060, Vienna, Austria.

Summary: A 60-year-old male patient was diagnosed with cancer of the head of the pancreas with metastases to the liver. After surgical correction of biliary obstruction, conventional chemotherapy was performed: five cycles of gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and one cycle of 1800 mg/m2; three cycles every 3 weeks of camptothecin 160 mg/m2 and raltitrexed 3 mg/m2; and one course of capecitabine 1,500 mg in the morning and 2,000 mg in the evening for 2 weeks. Due to disease progression and extended side effects, chemotherapy was discontinued. Therapy with Ukrain 20 mg i.v. in 500 ml 0.9% NaCI, 10 g vitamin C, L-ornithine-L-aspartate 500 mg and local hyperthermia (radiofrequency 13.56 MHz, 100 W) was begun. Additionally, three proteolytic enzymes t.i.d. and aloe vera were included in the therapeutic schedule. Computed tomography was performed after 2 months and revealed complete response of liver metastasis and stable status of local recurrence, progressive ascites, and splenomegaly. On 28 July nearly complete regression of ascites, compared with the previous results, was revealed. Rapid decrease of tumor marker CA 19-9 after the start of Ukrain treatment has also been observed. At present the patient is fit and feels well and has a Karnofsky rating of 80%.