A Review Of The Treatment Of Malignant Tumors By Coley Bacterial Toxins

Abstract

During the past seven years a thorough examination has been made of the literature of the treatment of malignant tumors by injections of bacterial toxins. Answers have been sought to the following questions: (a) Is there sufficient clinical and experimental evidence to justify the conclusion that the method has therapeutic value? (b) If so, what factors governed success or failure and why did the method not achieve wider recognition? (c) If the answers to these questions warrant further study, what can be done through further research to develop a bacterial product which, when adequately administered, will be consistently effective in the treatment of various types of malignant tumors? Since there is no comprehensive monograph on the subject it has been necessary to cover the literature thoroughly, examining in detail not only the records of Coley’s own cases but those of other investigators. Also studied were those records of cases in which intercurrent bacterial infections were reported to have produced profound effects upon malignant tumors. The experimental work done by many investigators on the effects of bacterial products on malignant tumors in animals has also been reviewed.