A few studies on the anti-cancer effects of ribonuclease have been carried out in experimental tumors with a limited success. This study is designed to demonstrate the carcinolytic action of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease in the human subjects. Twenty-three cases with various types of objectively measurable neoplastic diseases such as hemangioendothelioma, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, lymphatic metastastasis of hepatoma, carcinomatous peritonitis, carcinomatous pleurisy, liosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, malignant lymphoma, malignant giant cell tumor, leukemia bronchogenic carcinoma and stomach cancer were selected for the current investigation. Bovine pancreatic ribonuclease was administered by topical, intracavitary, intramuscular and intravenous routes with dose schedule of 1.0 to 3.0 mg per kg of body weight per day for five to thirty-five days. In the group in which the enzyme was topically administered, marked regression or disappearance and carcinolysis of tumors were observed in cases of fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma, synovial sarcoma and in some cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The enzyme itself appeared to have no myelodepressive action. However, allergic shock occurred in two cases after the repeated course of topical administration. It appears from these observations that ribonuclease might be of use as an anticancer agent especially in fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma and synovial sarcoma which are known to be relatively resistant to radiotherapy.
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