[#2004-12] Usefulness of Anti-Cancer Complementary Immune Therapy with DVM Fraction, T. Shimada et al.

Usefulness of Anti-Cancer Complementary Immune Therapy with DVM Fraction

Shimada, T(a), Shnidman, E(b), Shirota, M(b)

a) Department of Veterinary Surgery, Osaka Prefecture University, Japan b) Maitake Products, Inc.

D-fraction was used as a complementary therapy for dogs with cancer treated with conventional anti-cancer therapies (surgery and chemotherapy). Due to its appealing taste, the dogs did not offer any resistance to its long-term use. According to pet owners, in almost all cases it helped to maintain or improve the quality of life of the dogs, with no observable side effects or undesirable changes in blood chemistry. Among the 22 cases of dogs with cancer presented in this study, D-fraction led, in 59% of cases (or 76% of cases with immunological data recorded), to an increase in the lymphocyte fraction in peripheral blood inducing the production of cytokines related to the activation of the cellular immune response. In most of the cases (85%) in which an increase in the lymphocyte fraction in peripheral blood was observed, no recurrence or metastases were observed within a 10-month observation period. In contrast, in cases where the lymphocyte fraction did not increase, a majority of animals had recurrences. These results strongly suggest that activation of the cellular immune response by D-fraction may be successful in inhibiting the recurrence or metastases of malignant tumors. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that D-fraction may be expected to improve the quality of life of dogs with cancer, and in a majority of cases to activate the cellular immune system and its antitumor response.