Therapeutic Effect of Reibaisan (WTMCGEP) in Patients with Advanced Cancer / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Here we report 3 cases of advanced cancer using multidisciplinary treatment including reibaisan (WTMCGEP, a dry extract of Wisteria floribunda, Trapa natans, Myristica fragrans, Coix semen, Ganoderma lucidum, Elfvingia applanata, Punica granatum). Case 1 87-year-old man, suffering from stage IV esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with aortic and bronchial invasion, was referred to our clinic for palliative care. He had radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Only one course of chemotherapy was performed due to its intolerable side effects. The treatment with reibaisan started 11 months after the diagnosis. ESCC disappeared after 17 months of reibaisan treatment, and no relapse was observed for 66 months after the diagnosis. Case 2 79-year-old man, suffering from stage III ESCC, was initially scheduled for surgery after preoperative chemotherapy. Only one course of preoperative chemotherapy was performed because of its intolerable side effects. Therefore, radiotherapy combined with reibaisan followed. ESCC disappeared 6 months later, and no relapse was observed for 33 months after the diagnosis. Case 3 73-year-old woman, suffering from stage IV pancreatic cancer with systemic metastasis (brain, lung, and peritoneum). She initially showed Trousseau syndrome and was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin for multiple cerebral infarctions. One-month palliative chemotherapy and reibaisan resulted in a rapid reduction of ascites and improvement of neurological symptoms. Her progression-free survival period was 7 months. She lived 13 months thereafter. This suggests that reibaisan, which contains crude drugs that have been shown to have antitumor effects, may be another promising treatment for advanced cancers.