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Heparin and chemotherapy in the management of inoperable lung carcinoma
Author(s) -
Eliasd Elias G.,
Shukla S. K.,
Mink I. B.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197507)36:1<129::aid-cncr2820360109>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - medicine , chemotherapy , vincristine , cyclophosphamide , heparin , methotrexate , oncology , carcinoma , lung cancer , radiation therapy , surgery , lung
Twenty‐eight patients with inoperable or metastatic carcinoma of the lung who failed to respond to conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were entered in this study. All of them received repeated courses of multiple chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, 5‐flourouracil, 6‐thioguanine, methotrexate, and vincristine) with or without concurrent intravenous heparin anticoagulation. No tumor regression was noted in any of the 14 patients who received the multiple chemotherapy only. On the contrary, tumor progression was seen in all of them, and subsequently 12 died of their disease. The other 14 patients were anticoagulated with heparin, then received the same multiple chemotherapeutics while anticoagulated. Over 50% tumor regression was noted clinically and radiologically, and occasionally demonstrated histologically in 7 of them. Two patients in this group are alive and well for 1 1/2 years. No increase in toxicity or metastases was noted. The 2 patients who had progression of their disease while on the multiple chemotherapy program alone showed tumor regression when they received the same chemotherapy after heparinization.