Therapeutic Effects of SB Natural Anticancer Drug in 50 Patients with Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer

Purpose: Pancreatic cancers are still difficult in early dection and progression is rapid that can be hardly cured. Surgical therapy is limited by its hypervascularity, poor responses of radiational therapy and anticancer drugs. Root extract of Pulsatilla Koreana, SB365 has shown apoptotic effect by Pulsatilla saponin D component, and inhibition of angiogenesis by deoxypodophyllotoxin element as well as c-Met signal pathway inhibition in the pancreatic cancer. We present its therapeutic effect in 50 patients with stage IV pancreatic cancer for the first time in Korea. Materials and Methods From March 2013 to May 2014, there were 50 patients with stage IV pancreatic cancers admitted to Sahmyook Seoul Hospital for SB anticancer treatments with 24 control patient who did not get SB anticancer treatments in the same time interval.SB anticancer drug were administrated directly intratumoral injections using radiofrequent ablation techniques by interventional radiologist and intravenously by physician. Results Total 50 patients received SB anticancer therapy, male 25, female 25, and age ranged from 27 to 86 years with median age of 57 years with liver, lung, peritoneum and/or bone metastases, Control 24 patients, male 10, female 14, age ranged from 36 to 90 years with median age of 69 years. There was no significant side effect clinically as well as by laboratory measurement after every SB injections. Number of survived patients in SB study group was 27cases (54.0%), but only 2 cases(8.3%) in SB not treated control group ( p<0.01 with statistical significance). The total survival duration after diagnosis in SB treated group was 7 months, but 4 months in SB not treated control group. The interval from initial diagnosis to SB treatment in survived group was 2 month, less than 1 month in 12(44.4%) patients while in death group 5 months, and less than 1 month in only 3(14.3%) cases (p< 0.01 with statistical significance).The follow up duration and progression free estimate after SB treatment in survived group was median 5 months each, while in control group, median 2 months. Conclusion: SB natural anticancer drug administration is safe and increases survival rate and duration compared with control group, especially when treated within 1 month after diagnosis of stage IV pancreatic cancer. Long term follow up study with more numbers of patients are needed for accurate efficacy of SB treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.