Preliminary report of the use of levamisole in the treatment of bladder cancer

Abstract

Sixty-two patients with transitional cell carcinoma have been admitted to a double-blind randomized control study with levamisole as an immune adjuvant, in addition to standard therapy for noninvasive and invasive bladder cancer. Levamisole has been shown to be easily administered and is well-tolerated, especially when compared to other immune adjuvants such as bacillus Calmette-Guerin or Corynebacterium parvum. To date, there is no significant difference in the disease-free interval in the levamisole-treated group compared to the placebo group. Initial dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) reactivity may be an important prognostic indicator with regard to tumor recurrence. Tumor recurrence seems to be rare in those patients who are initially DNCB-positive. Total monocyte count, T lymphocyte, FC receptor cells, and PHA response showed no improvement with levamisole therapy. Monocyte chemotaxis remains the only immune function study to improve with levamisole, but the clinical significance of this test is yet to be explained.