Concerning animal experiments, a patent selleck products specification mentions “”moderate”" effects of mistletoe polysaccharides on tumour growth in uterusepithelioma. Ovarian cancer   Clinical studies: Two RCTs and two non-RCTs investigated the

influence of VAE on survival (Table 3) and reported a benefit, one of each with statistical significance. Tumour behaviour (Table 4) was investigated by two RCTs, each combining VAE and chemotherapy (plus radiotherapy in one study): these reported comparable outcomes. mTOR inhibitor The influence of VAE on QoL and tolerability of chemotherapy and radiation (Table 5) was investigated by three RCTs and one non-RCT; all of them reported a statistically significant positive effect. In one trial using an aggressive chemotherapy protocol, higher dosages of Cisplatin and Holoxan could be given in the VAE group as the side effects

were less intense [63]. One single-arm study applied recombinant lectins in ovarian cancer but found no remission. Regarding preclinical studies (Tables 7 and 9), VAE showed cytotoxic Selleckchem SB-715992 effects in various ovarian cancer cells. In SCID mice, rMLs led to increased survival and to more tumour-free animals at the highest and lowest dosage, while no effect was observed at the medium dosage. Genital cancer   Clinical studies: One non-RCT (published in 1963) reported partly improved disease-specific survival (Table 3). Regarding preclinical studies (Table 7), VAE showed cytotoxic effects in vulvar cancer cells. Malignant effusion   Clinical studies: One RCT and four single-arm studies investigated treatment of malignant pleural effusion and ascites (originating from breast or ovarian cancer, among other cancer sites), and all reported substantial remission rates (Tables 4 and 6). Safety Tolerability was generally good. One

case of urticaria and angioedema [56] and one case of “”generalized click here reaction”" [69] were described. Otherwise no major side effects or toxicity were reported. Frequent minor, dose-dependent and spontaneously subsiding symptoms included reactions at the injection site (swelling, induration, erythema, pruritus, local pain) and mild flu-like symptoms or fever. In one study, local reactions intensified during concomitant chemotherapy [64]. A higher prevalence of depression was documented in the unadjusted data of a retrolective non-RCT [69] in VAE-treated patients; these patients also had a higher prevalence of other treatments such as hormones. After intrapleural instillation, VAE induced significantly fewer side effects than doxycycline [60]. No indication for an interaction of VAE and chemotherapy could be found (i.e. remission rate) and VAE had no influence on the plasma concentration of gemcitabine [44, 73]. No toxicity was observed in animal studies, except after application of high doses of an isolated protein complex with unknown constituents [132].