Clinical Evaluation of a New Form of Cancer Therapy (Atavistic Chemotherapy) Based on the Principles of Atavistic Metamorphosis (2011)

Atavistic Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in Advanced, Metastatic, and Otherwise Incurable and Lethal Cancers Under Conventional Treatments

The cell behavior that the investigators regard as "malignant," including: cell autonomy; invasion and digestion of surrounding normal tissues; migration and colonization of distant organs; ability to develop resistance to drugs, temperature, or radiation; and ability to kill the host, are not only characteristics of cancer cells, but of pathogenic and/or opportunistic unicellular organisms (bacteria, fungi and protozoa). Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902), the father of modern pathology, first pointed out the resemblance between the biological behavior of cancer cells and that of single-celled organisms when causing infections. He thought, incorrectly, that cancer cells were cells infected with bacteria and had acquired their pathogenic behavior from them. Others later postulated that the behavior of cancer cells was likely due to the re-expression of past traits and behaviors (atavism) derived from their past evolutionary experience as independent, single-celled organisms from which all cells in multicellular organisms originated. In other words, the behavior of pathogenic unicellular organisms, including: unlimited replicative potential; capacity for invasion, migration, and metastases; abilities to evade the host's immune system, to generate multi-drug resistance; and to kill a host, are what the investigators define as "cancer" when one of the investigators cells re-express these past ancestral traits. This reversion or de-evolution of a differentiated cell to its ancestral undifferentiated, unicellular form has been named "Atavistic Metamorphosis."

This does not imply that cancer cells are bacteria, protozoa, or yeasts. It means that cancer cells express functions and/or behaviors similar to their ancestral parents, the unicellular organisms from which our cells originated.

If this is true, a combination of drugs that are effective to eradicate certain unicellular organisms may work in cancer treatment.

The principal objective of this study is to determine whether there is a benefit for patients with advanced, metastatic and terminal cancers to be treated with combinations of selected drugs conventionally used in medical practice to kill bacterial, fungal and protozoal cells.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Neoplasms
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug: Anti-Fungal Agents; Drug: Anti-Protozoal Agents

Detailed Description

This is an investigator initiated, randomized, single-blind, response-adaptive trial conducted at two sites in patients who have tried conventional therapy and failed or have refused conventional therapy. This study is being conducted to determine the efficacy of combinations of marketed drugs against unicellular organisms in cancer treatment. The products under investigation include FDA- and SSA-approved anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-protozoan drugs with documented anti-cancer properties. The drugs under study are compatible with each other, and used at pharmacological dosages known to be tolerable and safe in humans and/or cancer patients with limited adverse effects. Patients receive treatment for 10 to 12 months. The duration of treatment is depended on the drugs investigated. It is hypothesized that regression will occur within 6 months and treatment will be continued with the assumption that this may prevent recurrences. Outcomes will be measured objectively and assessments appropriate for the type of cancer treated. Outcome measures may include 1) Changes in signs and symptoms; (2) Visual inspection of tumors using weekly photographs and measurements (as appropriate); (3)Monthly chest X-rays to monitor lung tumors, lung metastases and/or fluid in the chest; (4) Ultrasound to evaluate abdominal tumors (e.g., liver metastases), and breast and armpit lymph nodes; (5) CT, MRI and PET scans; (6) Tumor markers in blood such as Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), CA-15.3, CA-19-9, etc. and other laboratory studies to monitor response. The overall goal of this study is to understand the efficacy of atavistic chemotherapy that may mediate metastatic or terminal cancer regression or cure.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 250
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Mexico
  • Baja California Sur
    • San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
      • Recruiting
      • Dr. Frank Arguello Cancer Clinic
      • Contact: Frank Arguello, MD; Phone Number: (301) 760-7777; Email: arguellof@atavisticchemotherapy.com
      • Principal Investigator: Frank Arguello, MD
  • Coahuila
    • Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, 35000
      • Enrolling by invitation
      • Instituto de Ciencia y Medicina Genomica

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 1 year to 75 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with malignant disease confirmed histologically that is considered untreatable, progressive and fatal within the next 16 months.
• Patient with an expectation of life greater than 3 months.
• Patients with malignant disease that may be evaluated or measured clinically either through radiographic studies, visually, histologically, in serum or blood tumor markers, or through any other method medical approved for that disease.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients over 75 years of age.
• Patients who are pregnant.
• Patients that have a known allergy to any of the drugs planned for use.
• Patients with renal, hepatic, pulmonary, cardiovascular compromise, or other systemic or other clinical conditions such as AIDS, tuberculosis, etc., which, in the opinion of the Investigator, may pose a risk to the subject.
• Malignancies of hemato-lymphatic origin (leukemias and lymphomas)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Anti-bacterial agents; Combination of two selected anti-bacterial agents with documented anti-cancer properties	Drug: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Doxycycline, Paramomycin, Clarithromycin, Clindamycin, Dapsone, Miltefosine
Experimental: Anti-fungal agents; Combination of two selected anti-fungal agents with documented anti-cancer properties	Drug: Anti-Fungal Agents; Itraconazole, Amphotericin B liposomal, Fluconazole, Terbinafine, Voriconazole
Experimental: Anti-protozoal agents; Combination of two selected anti-protozoal agents with documented anti-cancer properties	Drug: Anti-Protozoal Agents; Nitazoxanide, Chloroquine, Albendazole, Ivermectin, Mebendazole, Metronidazole, Praziquantel, Levamisole
Experimental: Anti-bacterial + anti-fungal + anti-protozoal agents; Combination of six selected anti-bacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, and anti-protozoal agents with documented anti-cancer properties	Drug: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Doxycycline, Paramomycin, Clarithromycin, Clindamycin, Dapsone, Miltefosine; Drug: Anti-Fungal Agents; Itraconazole, Amphotericin B liposomal, Fluconazole, Terbinafine, Voriconazole; Drug: Anti-Protozoal Agents; Nitazoxanide, Chloroquine, Albendazole, Ivermectin, Mebendazole, Metronidazole, Praziquantel, Levamisole

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical efficacy as measured by the number of participants with an objective clinical tumor regression response	Tumor regression will be measrued objectively and assessments appropriate for the type of cancer treated. Outcome measures may include 1) Changes in signs and symptoms; (2) Visual inspection of tumors using weekly photographs and measurements (as appropriate); (3)Monthly chest X-rays to monitor lung tumors, lung metastases and/or fluid in the chest; (4) Ultrasound to evaluate abdominal tumors (e.g., liver metastases), and breast and armpit lymph nodes; (5) CT, MRI and PET scans; (6) Tumor markers in blood such as Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), CA-15.3, CA-19-9 and other laboratory studies to monitor response.	6 Months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical efficacy as measured by the number of participants with an objective clinical tumor regression response	Tumor regression will be measrued objectively and assessments appropriate for the type of cancer treated. Outcome measures may include 1) Changes in signs and symptoms; (2) Visual inspection of tumors using weekly photographs and measurements (as appropriate); (3)Monthly chest X-rays to monitor lung tumors, lung metastases and/or fluid in the chest; (4) Ultrasound to evaluate abdominal tumors (e.g., liver metastases), and breast and armpit lymph nodes; (5) CT, MRI and PET scans; (6) Tumor markers in blood such as Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), CA-15.3, CA-19-9 and other laboratory studies to monitor response.	12 Months
Clinical safety as measured by the incidence of adverse events in each intervention group	Determine the percentage of incidence of adverse events in each intervention group.	12 Months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Dr. Frank Arguello Cancer Clinic
• Collaborators: Instituto de Ciencia y Medicina Genomica, Torreon, Coah. Mexico www.institutodeciencia.com
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Frank Arguello, MD, Dr. Frank Arguello Cancer Clinic; Principal Investigator: Rafael Argüello-Astorga, MD, PhD, Instituto de Ciencia y Medicina Genomica

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Arguello F, Baggs RB, Frantz CN. A murine model of experimental metastasis to bone and bone marrow. Cancer Res. 1988 Dec 1;48(23):6876-81.
• Arguello F, Alexander M, Sterry JA, Tudor G, Smith EM, Kalavar NT, Greene JF Jr, Koss W, Morgan CD, Stinson SF, Siford TJ, Alvord WG, Klabansky RL, Sausville EA. Flavopiridol induces apoptosis of normal lymphoid cells, causes immunosuppression, and has potent antitumor activity In vivo against human leukemia and lymphoma xenografts. Blood. 1998 Apr 1;91(7):2482-90.
• Arguello F, Baggs RB, Duerst RE, Johnstone L, McQueen K, Frantz CN. Pathogenesis of vertebral metastasis and epidural spinal cord compression. Cancer. 1990 Jan 1;65(1):98-106. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19900101)65:13.0.co;2-k.
• Arguello F, Furlanetto RW, Baggs RB, Graves BT, Harwell SE, Cohen HJ, Frantz CN. Incidence and distribution of experimental metastases in mutant mice with defective organ microenvironments (genotypes Sl/Sld and W/Wv). Cancer Res. 1992 Apr 15;52(8):2304-9.
• Arguello F, Baggs RB, Graves BT, Harwell SE, Cohen HJ, Frantz CN. Effect of IL-1 on experimental bone/bone-marrow metastases. Int J Cancer. 1992 Nov 11;52(5):802-7. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910520522.
• Arguello F, Sterry JA, Zhao YZ, Alexander MR, Shoemaker RH, Cohen HJ. Two serologic markers to monitor the engraftment, growth, and treatment response of human leukemias in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Blood. 1996 May 15;87(10):4325-32.

Helpful Links

• STAGE IV MELANOMA PATIENTS TREATED WITH ATAVISTIC CHEMOTHERAPY
• STAGE IV BREAST CANCER PATIENTS TREATED WITH ATAVISTIC CHEMOTHERAPY
• What is Atavistic Chemotherapy?
• Website Atavistic Chemotherapy
• Facts of Evolution

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 26, 2011
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): December 31, 2022
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): February 19, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 6, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2022
• Last Verified: March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cancer; malignant; atavistic chemotherapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Anti-Infective Agents; Enzyme Inhibitors; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors; Hormone Antagonists; Steroid Synthesis Inhibitors; Antiparasitic Agents; 14-alpha Demethylase Inhibitors; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 Inhibitors; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Clotrimazole; Miconazole; Antiprotozoal Agents
• Other Study ID Numbers: ACI/2015

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No