Prevention of surgery-induced suppression of granulocyte function by intravenous application of a fermented extract from Viscum album L. in breast cancer patients.

Surgical stress and anaesthetics are able to suppress the immune system. This may accelerate the growth and metastasis of residual cancer cells. As Viscum album L. extracts (VA-E) are known to exert both effects, immunomodulating and apoptosis-inducing properties, a Good-Clinical-Practice-guided, prospective bi-centric phase II study was conducted to measure the influence of a perioperative intravenous application of a VA-E on granulocyte function. In 98 patients with breast cancer, it was shown that a single intravenous application of the standardized VA-E "Iscador M special" in a final concentration of 1 mg/individual prior to surgery prevented the surgery-associated inhibition of the oxidative burst. As no VA-E-related side-effects were observed, this distinct route of application may be a rationale to restrict immunosuppression by surgical stress and anaesthesia.