As noted in the General Information section, Burzynski first proposed antineoplastons as a naturally occurring biochemical defense against cancer in 1976 as a result of his study of cybernetic systems and information theory. The search for information-bearing peptides in body fluids led him to separate peptides from human blood and subsequently from human urine. He called these substances antineoplastons and categorized them according to their general and specific anticarcinogenic potential. In 1980, the developer characterized the chemical structures of antineoplastons and began preparing them synthetically rather than isolating them from human urine. Preparations now used in clinical studies to treat cancer are antineoplastons A10, AS2-5, AS2-1, A2, A3, and A5.

From 1991 to 1995, the National Cancer Institute initiated phase II clinical trials of antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1. Protocols for two phase II clinical trials were originally developed by investigators from several cancer centers, with review and input from both the developer and NCI. The National Institutes of Health, Office of Alternative Medicine, now known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, provided funding for the trials. Three centers (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, and the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center at NIH) began accruing participants for these NCI-sponsored studies in 1993. However, by August 1995 only nine patients had entered the trials; despite efforts by the developer, NCI staff, and investigators to reach agreement on proposed changes to increase patient accrual and dose, the studies were closed prematurely in August 1995.[1-3]

The developer and investigators in Japan have reported several case series showing varying results using antineoplastons as a clinical therapy against several different types of cancer, alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy.[4-15] These studies are described in more detail in the Human/Clinical Studies section of this document. Most of these studies were phase I trials or their equivalent; therefore, the only objective of these trials was safety.

Other uses of antineoplastons suggested by the developer include treatment of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, sickle cell anemia, and thalassemia.[16]

References

1. The antineoplaston anomaly: how a drug was used for decades in thousands of patients, with no safety, efficacy data. The Cancer Letter 24 (36):1998 Also available online. Last accessed October 9, 2007. 
   
   
2. Burzynski SR: Efficacy of antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1. Mayo Clin Proc 74 (6): 641-2, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Hammer MR, Jonas WB: Managing social conflict in complementary and alternative medicine research: the case of antineoplastons. Integr Cancer Ther 3 (1): 59-65, 2004.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
4. Burzynski SR, Stolzmann Z, Szopa B, et al.: Antineoplaston A in cancer therapy. (I). Physiol Chem Phys 9 (6): 485-500, 1977.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
5. Tsuda H, Hara H, Eriguchi N, et al.: Toxicological study on antineoplastons A-10 and AS2-1 in cancer patients. Kurume Med J 42 (4): 241-9, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
6. Burzynski SR: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston AS2-5 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 17-24, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
7. Burzynski SR, Burzynski B, Mohabbat MO: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston AS2-1 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 25-35, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
8. Burzynski SR, Kubove E: Toxicology studies on antineoplaston A10 injections in cancer patients. Drugs Exp Clin Res 12 (Suppl 1): 47-55, 1986.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
9. Burzynski SR, Kubove E, Burzynski B: Treatment of hormonally refractory cancer of the prostate with antineoplaston AS2-1. Drugs Exp Clin Res 16 (7): 361-9, 1990.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
10. Burzynski SR, Kubove E, Burzynski B: Phase I clinical studies of antineoplaston A5 injections. Drugs Exp Clin Res 13 (Suppl 1): 37-43, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
11. Burzynski SR, Kubove E: Phase I clinical studies of antineoplaston A3 injections. Drugs Exp Clin Res 13 (Suppl 1): 17-29, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
12. Burzynski SR, Kubove E: Initial clinical study with antineoplaston A2 injections in cancer patients with five years' follow-up. Drugs Exp Clin Res 13 (Suppl 1): 1-11, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
13. Sugita Y, Tsuda H, Maruiwa H, et al.: The effect of Antineoplaston, a new antitumor agent on malignant brain tumors. Kurume Med J 42 (3): 133-40, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
14. Tsuda H, Sata M, Kumabe T, et al.: Quick response of advanced cancer to chemoradiation therapy with antineoplastons. Oncol Rep 5 (3): 597-600, 1998 May-Jun.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
15. Kumabe T, Tsuda H, Uchida M, et al.: Antineoplaston treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Rep 5 (6): 1363-7, 1998 Nov-Dec.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    
16. Burzynski SR: Potential of antineoplastons in diseases of old age. Drugs Aging 7 (3): 157-67, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]
    
    

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