A review of clinical studies of bestatin.

Abstract

Bestatin has no clinical toxicity. It increases the number of T cells and enhances NK cell activity. The optimal dose of bestatin was thought to range from 30-100 mg/day/body, and 200 mg/day/body often decreased T-cell number. The clinical effects were as follows: 1) Bestatin alone: possible cure in one case of residual penile tumor after bleomycin treatment; marked regression in two cases of skin metastasis of mammary carcinoma. 2) Radiation and bestatin: complete regression in three cases of Virchow's nodes. 3) Pepleomycin and bestatin: complete regression in one case of metastatic skin adenocarcinoma. 4) Possible favorable effect of bestatin against esophageal carcinoma in combination with radiation and bleomycin.