Case report: Resolution of pathologic fracture from metastatic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with compassionate therapy

Abstract

Broad-spectrum anticancer treatments have limited cell selectivity. The sites of action of these treatments are targeted at blocking cell division and inducing apoptosis. This has a negative impact on the viability and proliferation of healthy cells, which can cause deterioration in the patient's quality of life. In this case report, an older patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, follicular pattern grade 2 with invasion to the L3 vertebra, concluded a combination chemotherapy regimen of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (CHOP). However, the patient reported severe and prolonged adverse reactions that caused physical and emotional complaints, thus she refused to continue with the subsequent radiotherapy. Given the impact on quality of life and uncertain survival, by personal decision, the patient started compassionate therapy based on chlorine dioxide (ClO2). This low-cost anticancer agent causes apoptosis in cancer cells by destabilizing the oxidative balance through the release of reactive oxygen species. ClO2 treatment was administered orally and by enema at a concentration below the EPA-reported toxicity threshold, in order to not compromise healthy cells, given that they do not experience the high levels of oxidative stress of cancer cells. During ClO2 treatment, the patient reported no adverse reactions and an increase in bone density was observed in pathological terrain. Rigorous clinical studies are needed to analyze the temporal sequence of the increase in bone density