RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Course of Mitogen-stimulated T Lymphocytes in Cancer Patients Treated with Viscum album Extracts JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 2903 OP 2910 VO 27 IS 4C A1 A. BÜSSING A1 C. STUMPF A1 W. TRÖGER A1 M. SCHIETZEL YR 2007 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/27/4C/2903.abstract AB Background: In a prospective observational study, the impact of two different dose regimes of a commercially available fermented Viscum album L. extract (VA-E, Iscador®) on the function of T lymphocytes from cancer patients was investigated. Patients and Methods: A total of 71 cancer patients were enrolled. These patients attended two different sections of a tumor outpatient clinic which are used to apply different VA-E escalation schemes. Our hypothesis was that a rapid dose escalation of subcutaneously applied VA-E may induce strong local reactions at the injection side (>3 cm diameter) and may have an effect on the functional competence of T lymphocytes (mitogen-activated interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain), which was recorded over an observation period of six month. Results: Within this observation period, a decline of stimulated T cell function was observed, particularly in patients with colorectal or prostate cancer; this decline was not seen in patients with breast cancer (who received lower mean concentrations per month) nor in patients with dose adaptation in response to too strong local reactions. Conclusion: With respect to T-cell function, our results indicate that in patients without local reactions, a long lasting mistletoe extract application should be withheld periodically to allow T-cell reactivity to recover.