Immunologic Response to Mistletoe Extract (Viscum album L.) after Conventional Treatment in Patients with Operable Breast

During treatment of cancer, some side effects of conventional treatment may limit the ability of the patient to receive the full course of therapy. To reduce the side effects and improve the effectiveness of standard therapy, many complementary or alternative medicines (CAM) have been tried in patient with a variety of cancers. Mistletoe extracts are among commonly prescribed CAM for cancer patients. Mistletoe is a semiparasitic plant that grows on several types of trees, including apple, oak, maple, elm, pine, and birch. Viscum albumL. extract (VAE) was introduced as a possible treatment for cancer in 1920 by Steiner and Wegman.(1) Mistletoe extracts have been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory and to boost the immune system.(2-4) In animal studies, activation of natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes/macrophages, T cells and cytokine release have been demonstrated.(5)Although there are numerous reports regarding cytokine secretion induced by VAE in vitro or in animals, there is limited information on the immunostimulatory effects of VAE in vivo, especially used in adjuvant setting after conventional treatment in patients with operable breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the immunologic effects of VAE after surgery followed by standard adjuvant chemoradiation therapy in patients with early breast cancer. The immunologic parameters such as interleukin-2 (IL2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b), and interferon-gamma (IFN-g) were measured in test group with VAE treatment and in control group.