[Oral administration of oil bleomycin combined with sodium polyacrylate for the treatment of esophageal cancer]

Abstract

With anticipation of potentiation of the regional effect of bleomycin on the lesion of esophageal carcinoma, 12 patients with esophageal carcinoma were medicated orally with 5 ml of a paste-like mixture of 1 g of Sodium polyacrylate (PANA Kayaku) and 30 mg of oil bleomycin every day for 7 to 43 preoperative days. These 12 patients were further medicated with the mixture 1 hour before operation, and in 9 of them, bleomycin levels in the tumor and normal tissue of the resected portion of the esophagus and also in the regional lymph nodes were determined. The level in the normal tissue was on average concentration of 1.2 micrograms/g, while the level in tumor showed a tendency to higher level, being an average concentration of an being 4.4 micrograms/g. Bleomycin was found being efficiently transferred into the regional lymph nodes, where it was detected the average concentration of 1.7 micrograms/g. It may be anticipated that this mixture will be effective against preoperative and inoperable esophageal carcinoma and for ther studies on dosage and administration schedule is desirable.