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Antineoplastons (PDQ®)     
Last Modified: 04/24/2008
Health Professional Version
Adverse Effects

Adverse effects of antineoplaston therapy have ranged from mild and short-lasting symptoms to severe neurologic toxicity necessitating discontinuation of therapy in some patients.[1]

Table 3 summarizes the adverse effects in the referenced studies.

Table 3. Adverse Effects
Adverse Effect  Reference 
*The most severe adverse effects occurred in this study, which reported neurologic toxic effects such as excessive somnolence, somnolence plus confusion, and increased frequency of underlying focalmotorseizures; increased cerebral edema; and persistent confusion. In addition, the study reported myalgia, severe cutaneouserythema, pruritus, and anasarca of the extremities and face.
Anemia [2,3]
Blood pressure elevation [4,5]
Dizziness or vertigo [6,7]
Excess abdominal gas [4,8]
Fever and chills [2,5-7,9-11]
General malaise with and without anorexia [2,4]
Headaches [1,4,6,7]
Hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia [2,5]
Increased thickness of epidermis associated with skin peeling and faster-than-usual growth of nails [11]
Maculopapular or itchy skin rash [2,4,5,8]
Mild myelosuppression [5,8,12]
Nausea and vomiting [1,2,5-7]
Neurocortical toxicity, severe [1]*
Numbness [2]
Palpitations, tachycardia, or pressure in the chest with irregular heartbeat [4,11,1,7]
Peripheral edema, facial edema, cerebral edema [1,4]
Swelling, pain, or stiffness of small joints [4,8,10,11]

References

  1. Buckner JC, Malkin MG, Reed E, et al.: Phase II study of antineoplastons A10 (NSC 648539) and AS2-1 (NSC 620261) in patients with recurrent glioma. Mayo Clin Proc 74 (2): 137-45, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  2. Burzynski SR, Lewy RI, Weaver RA, et al.: Phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 in patients with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma: a preliminary report. Drugs R D 4 (2): 91-101, 2003.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  3. Burzynski SR, Janicki TJ, Weaver RA, et al.: Targeted therapy with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 of high-grade, recurrent, and progressive brainstem glioma. Integr Cancer Ther 5 (1): 40-7, 2006.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  4. Tsuda H, Hara H, Eriguchi N, et al.: Toxicological study on antineoplastons A-10 and AS2-1 in cancer patients. Kurume Med J 42 (4): 241-9, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  5. Burzynski SR, Burzynski B, Mohabbat MO: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston AS2-1 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 25-35, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  6. Burzynski SR, Kubove E: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston A10 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 47-55, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  7. Burzynski SR, Kubove E: Phase I clinical studies of antineoplaston A3 injections. Drugs Exp Clin Res 13 (Suppl 1): 17-29, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  8. Sugita Y, Tsuda H, Maruiwa H, et al.: The effect of Antineoplaston, a new antitumor agent on malignant brain tumors. Kurume Med J 42 (3): 133-40, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  9. Burzynski SR, Stolzmann Z, Szopa B, et al.: Antineoplaston A in cancer therapy. (I). Physiol Chem Phys 9 (6): 485-500, 1977.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  10. Burzynski SR: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston AS2-5 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 17-24, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  11. Burzynski SR, Kubove E, Burzynski B: Phase I clinical studies of antineoplaston A5 injections. Drugs Exp Clin Res 13 (Suppl 1): 37-43, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  12. Burzynski SR, Weaver RA, Janicki T, et al.: Long-term survival of high-risk pediatric patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumors treated with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1. Integr Cancer Ther 4 (2): 168-77, 2005.  [PUBMED Abstract]


Glossary Terms

abdominal
Having to do with the abdomen, which is the part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the pancreas, stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, and other organs.
adverse effect
An unwanted side effect of treatment.
anemia (a-NEE-mee-a)
A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal.
anorexia
An abnormal loss of the appetite for food. Anorexia can be caused by cancer, AIDS, a mental disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa), or other diseases.
antineoplaston
A substance isolated from normal human blood and urine that is being tested as a type of treatment for some tumors and AIDS.
blood pressure (blud PREH-sher)
The force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is taken using two measurements: systolic (measured when the heart beats, when blood pressure is at its highest) and diastolic (measured between heart beats, when blood pressure is at its lowest). Blood pressure is written with the systolic blood pressure first, followed by the diastolic blood pressure (for example 120/80).
cerebral hemisphere (seh-REE-bral HEM-is-feer)
One half of the cerebrum, the part of the brain that controls muscle functions and also controls speech, thought, emotions, reading, writing, and learning. The right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body.
confusion (kun-FYOO-zhun)
A mental state in which one is not thinking clearly.
cutaneous (kyoo-TAY-nee-us)
Having to do with the skin.
edema (eh-DEE-ma)
Swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues.
epidermis (ep-i-DER-mis)
The upper or outer layer of the two main layers of tissue that make up the skin.
erythema (ER-ih-THEE-muh)
Redness of the skin.
fever (FEE-ver)
An increase in body temperature above normal (98.6 degrees F), usually caused by disease.
focal
In terms of cancer, limited to a specific area.
hypercalcemia (HY-per-kal-SEE-mee-uh)
Higher than normal levels of calcium in the blood. Some types of cancer increase the risk of hypercalcemia.
motor
In medicine, having to do with the movement of body parts.
myalgia (my-AL-juh)
Pain in a muscle or group of muscles.
myelosuppression (MY-eh-loh-suh-PREH-shun)
A condition in which bone marrow activity is decreased, resulting in fewer red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Myelosuppression is a side effect of some cancer treatments. When myelosuppression is severe, it is called myeloablation.
nausea
A feeling of sickness or discomfort in the stomach that may come with an urge to vomit. Nausea is a side effect of some types of cancer therapy.
neurologic (NOOR-oh-LAH-jik)
Having to do with nerves or the nervous system.
pruritus (proo-RY-tus)
Itching. Severe itching may be a side effect of some cancer treatments and a symptom of some types of cancers.
seizure (SEE-zhur)
Convulsion; a sudden, involuntary movement of the muscles.
symptom
An indication that a person has a condition or disease. Some examples of symptoms are headache, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and pain.
tachycardia
Rapid beating of the heart, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.
therapy (THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment.
toxic (TOK-sik)
Having to do with poison or something harmful to the body. Toxic substances usually cause unwanted side effects.
toxicity (tok-SIH-sih-tee)
The extent to which something is poisonous or harmful.
vomit
To eject some or all of the contents of the stomach through the mouth.


Table of Links

1http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/antineoplastons/healthprofessional/Table3