Splenic artery infusion of IL-2 might allow treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer with less side effects and greater efficacy

Treatment of stave IV renal cell cancer and melanoma with intravenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) is often limited by side effects, and only a minority of patients obtain sustained remissions. This editorial proposes that infusing IL-2 into the splenic artery will allow much stronger immune activation without systemic side effects, achieving a superior clinical response and enabling treatment of patients currently excluded from IL-2 by medical comorbidities.----------------------------------Cite this article as: Alisky JM. Splenic artery infusion of IL-2 might allow treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer with less side effects and greater efficacy. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2(1):020115.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0201.15

Splenic artery infusion of IL-2 might allow treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer with less side effects and greater efficacy

Treatment of stave IV renal cell cancer and melanoma with intravenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) is often limited by side effects, and only a minority of patients obtain sustained remissions. This editorial proposes that infusing IL-2 into the splenic artery will allow much stronger immune activation without systemic side effects, achieving a superior clinical response and enabling treatment of patients currently excluded from IL-2 by medical comorbidities.----------------------------------Cite this article as: Alisky JM. Splenic artery infusion of IL-2 might allow treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer with less side effects and greater efficacy. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2(1):020115.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0201.15 </p

Some patients with advanced malignancies also have reversible catatonia or limbic encephalitis

Two potentially treatable disorders, paraneoplastic catatonia and paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, may be hidden within the presentation of end stage cancer patients, because catatonia and limbic encephalitis usually feature severely altered mental status, confusion, anorexia, and minimal responsiveness that are also common with people dying of cancer. If catatonia and limbic encephalitis are correctly diagnosed and treated, there should be definite and dramatic improvement that would translate into better quality of life and perhaps even resumption of cancer therapy. This editorial reviews basic features of catatonia and limbic encephalitis, and then presents a strategy to systematically screen for these in end stage cancer patients who are about to enter hospice. A protocol is outlined that could be adapted for clinical practice or for designing clinical studies.</p

Intrathecal corticosteroids might slow Alzheimer&amp;rsquo;s disease progression

Joseph Martin Alisky1,21Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation; 2Marshfield Clinic-Thorp Center, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USAAbstract: Anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer&amp;rsquo;s disease have to date proved disappointing, including a large study of low-dose prednisone, but higher dose steroids significantly reduced amyloid secretion in a small series of nondemented patients. In addition, there is a case report of a patient with amyloid angiopathy who had complete remission from two doses of dexamethasone, and very high dose steroids are already used for systemic amyloidosis. This paper presents the hypothesis that pulse-dosed intrathecal methylprednisolone or dexamethasone will produce detectable slowing of Alzheimer&amp;rsquo;s progression, additive to that obtained with cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. A protocol based on treatment regimens for multiple sclerosis and central nervous system lupus is outlined, to serve as a basis for formulating clinical trials. Ultimately intrathecal corticosteroids might become part of a multi-agent regimen for Alzheimer&amp;rsquo;s disease and also have application for other neurodegenerative disorders.Keywords: Alzheimer&amp;rsquo;s disease, inflammation, corticosteroid