Mistletoe as complementary treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with carboplatin-based combinations: a randomised phase II study.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Mistletoe preparations, such as iscador, are common complementary medications. This randomised phase II study of iscador combined with carboplatin-containing regimens was conducted in chemotherapy-naïve advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients to assess its influence on chemotherapy-related side-effects and QoL.

METHODS:

Patients with advanced NSCLC were randomised to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus iscador thrice weekly until tumour progression. Chemotherapy consisted of 21-day cycles of carboplatin combined with gemcitabine or pemetrexed.

RESULTS:

Seventy-two patients (control: 39; iscador: 33) were enrolled in the study. Most (65%) were in stage IV, and 62% had squamous histology. Median overall survival in both groups was 11 months. Median TTP was 4.8 months for the controls and 6 months in the iscador arm (p=NS). Differences in grade 3-4 haematological toxicity were not significant but more control patients had chemotherapy dose reductions (44% versus 13%, p=0.005), grade 3-4 non-haematological toxicities (41% versus 16%, p=0.043) and hospitalisations (54% versus 24%, p=0.016).

CONCLUSION:

No effect of iscador could be found on quality of life or total adverse events. Nevertheless, chemotherapy dose reductions, severe non-haematological side-effects and hospitalisations were less frequent in patients treated with iscador, warranting further investigation of iscador as a modifier of chemotherapy-related toxicity.

• Authors: Gil Bar-Sela, Mira Wollner, Liat Hammer, Abed Agbarya, Elizabeth Dudnik, Nissim Haim
• Journal: European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) (Eur J Cancer) Vol. 49 Issue 5 Pg. 1058-64 (Mar 2013) ISSN: 1879-0852 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23218588 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase II, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Plant Extracts
• Carboplatin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Carboplatin (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (drug therapy, mortality, pathology)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Complementary Therapies (methods)
• Disease Progression
• Female
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy, mortality, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mistletoe (chemistry)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome