Role of levamisole immunotherapy as an adjuvant to radiotherapy in oral cancer. I. A three-year clinical follow up.

Abstract

Eighty-two patients with squamous cells carcinoma of the oral cavity belonging to stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 were randomized to receive either levamisole or placebo therapy following conventional radiotherapy. Oral levamisole, at 150 mg daily doses for three consecutive days, was given once every two weeks. The patients were followed-up for three years and the results reported. Levamisole appears to have some beneficial effect in prolonging the disease-free interval of these patients (44% in the levamisole group compared to 32% in the placebo group after 30 months of therapy). This, however, did not have any effect of the metastatic potential of the tumors. The effects of levamisole on peripheral blood leukocytes and lymphocytes were more promising. The restoration of leukopenia and lymphopenia observed after radiotherapy was faster in the levamisole group when compared to the placebo group.