CIMETIDINE (TAGAMET) FOR
CANCER OF LUNG , SKIN, COLON, AND MELANOMA.
Dogs with Mast Cell Tumors use this.
The first succesful use of cimetidine in treating cancer was at the the University of Nebraska[1]. Two patients with cancer were given cimetidine for stomach distress. Both had dramatic complete remissions from cancer. One had a squamous cell cancer in the neck that spread to the lung. The therapy was 1200 mg. of cimetidine daily. The other had a non-small cell cancer of the lung with a brain metastasis. This patient received steroids for the brain tumor and 600 mg. daily of cimetidine. The lung tumor immediately began to decrease in size. The brain tumor was surgically removed. Chest xray one year later showed no sign of malignancy. By 1982 it was recognized that cimetidine had the ability to inhibit suppressor T cells which thus permits lymphocytes to properly kill tumor cells.
Four patients with melanoma were treated with cimetidine in Ireland[2]. All four had widespread metsatases in internal organs, lung and liver. One young man had severe stomach distress which was treated with 1000 mg. daily of cimetidine. He had immediate regression of tumors and was able to return to work in two weeks. The three other melanoma victims were given 1000 mg. of cimetidine daily. Two had dramatic remissions of cancer and the third died. All these persons showed decrease of suppressor T cell function. All four also were on coumarin therapy (anticoagulation). Another six patients with melanoma from Sweden[3] were given interferon with no response. When cimetidine was added two had complete remissions, one had a partial remission, a fourth patient had no progression and the other two patients died.
Frequently colon cancer is found to be localized suggesting that surgery may be curative. The surgical procedure may cause a flood of microscopic cancer cells to be expressed into small blood and lymph channels for possible spread throughout the body. The stress of the surgical procedure itself has a profound negative effect on the immune system. For seven days following the operation there is a surge in suppressor T cells. These suppressor T cells tend to interfere with the body's need to localize and kill the extruded cancer cells. Cimetidine (Tagamet) has the ability to inhibit these suppressor T cells so that more of the embolized cancer cells get killed.
An Austrailian study[4] gave cimetidine (Tagamet) after surgery to one half of a large group of patients having colon cancer surgery. The cimetidine was taken for only 7 days. At 3 years the survival in the patients getting cimetidine was 93 % compared to a 59 % survival in the group not getting Tagamet. This is an astonishing result.
A Japanese study[5] at Nagoya University by Dr. Sumio Matsumoto gave all patients having colon cancer surgery 5- flourouracil a chemotherapy drug. One half these patients were also given 800 mg. of Tagamet beginning 2 weeks after surgery along with starting 5-flourouracil 150 mg. daily. Both Tagamet and 5 flourouracil were stopped at 1 year. Survival was reported at 3.9 years. In the patients with rectal cancer 100 % of those getting the additional Tagamet survived compared to only 53.3 % of those getting only 5- flourouracil. In the group of patients with colon cancer getting Tagamet 96.3 % survived compared to only 68 % in the group who got only 5-flourouracil. Amazingly the Tagamet was not started until two weeks after the operation so there was no inhibition of the suppressor cells during and immediately following the operation.
In the Australian study there appeared to be enhanced entry of lymphocytes into the tumors in subjects getting cimetidine 63.5 % compared to only 24 % in the control subjects. Additionally, cimetidine inhibits histamine which has immunosuppressive properties that could enhance tumor growth. It would appear that beginning the Tagamet one week before the surgery at about 800 mg. daily and continuing this for one year could possibly permit even more patients to avoid the spread of colon cancer. We strongly advise anyone having colon cancer surgery to get started on Tagamet before the surgery and stay on this therapy for one year. It is tragic that there probably has not been a single colon cancer patient in the United States who has benefited from this use of Tagamet in colon cancer surgery.
Footnotes:
1, The Lancet 1979 page 822-823
2, The Lancet 1982 11, page 328
3, New England Journal Of Medicine 1983 vol 308 page 591-592
4, The Lancet December 31, 1994 pp 1768-1769
5, The Lancet July 8, 1995 pp 115
The first succesful use of cimetidine in treating cancer was at the the University of Nebraska[1]. Two patients with cancer were given cimetidine for stomach distress. Both had dramatic complete remissions from cancer. One had a squamous cell cancer in the neck that spread to the lung. The therapy was 1200 mg. of cimetidine daily. The other had a non-small cell cancer of the lung with a brain metastasis. This patient received steroids for the brain tumor and 600 mg. daily of cimetidine. The lung tumor immediately began to decrease in size. The brain tumor was surgically removed. Chest xray one year later showed no sign of malignancy. By 1982 it was recognized that cimetidine had the ability to inhibit suppressor T cells which thus permits lymphocytes to properly kill tumor cells.
Four patients with melanoma were treated with cimetidine in Ireland[2]. All four had widespread metsatases in internal organs, lung and liver. One young man had severe stomach distress which was treated with 1000 mg. daily of cimetidine. He had immediate regression of tumors and was able to return to work in two weeks. The three other melanoma victims were given 1000 mg. of cimetidine daily. Two had dramatic remissions of cancer and the third died. All these persons showed decrease of suppressor T cell function. All four also were on coumarin therapy (anticoagulation). Another six patients with melanoma from Sweden[3] were given interferon with no response. When cimetidine was added two had complete remissions, one had a partial remission, a fourth patient had no progression and the other two patients died.
Frequently colon cancer is found to be localized suggesting that surgery may be curative. The surgical procedure may cause a flood of microscopic cancer cells to be expressed into small blood and lymph channels for possible spread throughout the body. The stress of the surgical procedure itself has a profound negative effect on the immune system. For seven days following the operation there is a surge in suppressor T cells. These suppressor T cells tend to interfere with the body's need to localize and kill the extruded cancer cells. Cimetidine (Tagamet) has the ability to inhibit these suppressor T cells so that more of the embolized cancer cells get killed.
An Austrailian study[4] gave cimetidine (Tagamet) after surgery to one half of a large group of patients having colon cancer surgery. The cimetidine was taken for only 7 days. At 3 years the survival in the patients getting cimetidine was 93 % compared to a 59 % survival in the group not getting Tagamet. This is an astonishing result.
A Japanese study[5] at Nagoya University by Dr. Sumio Matsumoto gave all patients having colon cancer surgery 5- flourouracil a chemotherapy drug. One half these patients were also given 800 mg. of Tagamet beginning 2 weeks after surgery along with starting 5-flourouracil 150 mg. daily. Both Tagamet and 5 flourouracil were stopped at 1 year. Survival was reported at 3.9 years. In the patients with rectal cancer 100 % of those getting the additional Tagamet survived compared to only 53.3 % of those getting only 5- flourouracil. In the group of patients with colon cancer getting Tagamet 96.3 % survived compared to only 68 % in the group who got only 5-flourouracil. Amazingly the Tagamet was not started until two weeks after the operation so there was no inhibition of the suppressor cells during and immediately following the operation.
In the Australian study there appeared to be enhanced entry of lymphocytes into the tumors in subjects getting cimetidine 63.5 % compared to only 24 % in the control subjects. Additionally, cimetidine inhibits histamine which has immunosuppressive properties that could enhance tumor growth. It would appear that beginning the Tagamet one week before the surgery at about 800 mg. daily and continuing this for one year could possibly permit even more patients to avoid the spread of colon cancer. We strongly advise anyone having colon cancer surgery to get started on Tagamet before the surgery and stay on this therapy for one year. It is tragic that there probably has not been a single colon cancer patient in the United States who has benefited from this use of Tagamet in colon cancer surgery.
Footnotes:
1, The Lancet 1979 page 822-823
2, The Lancet 1982 11, page 328
3, New England Journal Of Medicine 1983 vol 308 page 591-592
4, The Lancet December 31, 1994 pp 1768-1769
5, The Lancet July 8, 1995 pp 115
