antineoplaston therapy in treating patients with cancer of the small intestine

Conditions: Small Intestine Cancer

Summary: current therapies for cancer of the small intestine provide very limited benefit to the patient. the anti-cancer properties of antineoplaston therapy suggest that it may prove beneficial in the treatment of cancer of the small intestine. purpose: this study is being performed to determine the effects (good and bad) that antineoplaston therapy has on patients with cancer of the small intestine.

cancer of the small intestine patients receive gradually escalating doses of intravenous antineoplaston therapy (atengenal + astugenal) until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. treatment continues up to12 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. objectives: * to determine the efficacy of antineoplaston therapy in patients with cancer of the small intestine, as measured by an objective response to therapy (complete response, partial response or stable disease). * to determine the safety and tolerance of antineoplaston therapy in patients with cancer of the small intestine. * to determine objective response, tumor size is measured utilizing mri scans, which are performed every 8 weeks for the first two years, every 3 months for the third and fourth years, every 6 months for the 5th and sixth years, and annually thereafter.

Eligibility criteria:
disease characteristics: * histologically proven incurable and/or metastatic carcinoma of the small intestine that is unlikely to respond to existing therapy * measurable disease by mri or ct scan * tumor must be greater than 2 cm patient characteristics: age: * 18 and over performance status: * karnofsky 60-100% life expectancy: * at least 2 months hematopoietic: * wbc at least 2,000/mm\^3 * platelet count at least 50,000/mm\^3 hepatic: * no hepatic insufficiency * bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dl * sgot and sgpt no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal renal: * no renal insufficiency * creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dl * no history of renal conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium cardiovascular: * no known chronic heart failure * no uncontrolled hypertension * no history of congestive heart failure * no history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium pulmonary: * no serious lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease other: * not pregnant or nursing * fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation * not high medical or psychiatric risk * no concurrent nonmalignant systemic disease * no active infection prior concurrent therapy: biologic therapy: * at least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered * no concurrent immunomodulating agents chemotherapy: * at least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered endocrine therapy: * concurrent corticosteroids allowed radiotherapy: * at least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered surgery: * recovered from prior surgery other: * prior cytodifferentiating agents allowed * no other concurrent antineoplastic agents

Keywords: recurrent small intestine cancer