Immunostimulation with levamisol in inoperable cancer of the esophagus

: In the light of previous personal research indicative of immunodepression in patients with cancer of the oesophagus, the effect of aspecific immunostimulation with Levamisol was assessed on 70 patients with inoperable forms. All patients were treated by positioning of a Celestin endoesophageal prosthesis for the palliation of dysphagia, and submitted to a randomised protocol involving aspecific immunostimulation with 150 mg Levamisol per os twice a week on nonconsecutive days for an indefinite period. The mean survival of the treated group was not significantly better than that of the controls, nor was any real advantage detected on dividing the series in terms of age, tumour histology and degree of differentiation, extension, or the clinical stage.