A retrospective observational study on cases of anaplastic brain tumors treated with the Di Bella Method: A rationale and effectiveness.

Despite all the new developments in cancer therapy, the life expectancy of patients with malignant anaplastic brain tumors and glioblastoma multiform (GBM) remains short. Since the establishment of the Di Bella Method (DBM) in cancer therapy, DBM was able to increase the survival rate and life quality, without overt toxicity, in comparison to what is described in the literature related to the analogous brain tumors, with the same immunohistochemical, histologic and clinical features. Therefore, we treated seven patients with malignant anaplastic brain tumors using the DBM protocol. DBM therapy consists of somatostatin and analogous (octreotide) all trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), β-Carotene, axerophthol dissolved in vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin C, melatonin (MLT), proteoglycans-glycosaminoglycans, valproic acid, acetazolamide, diethyldithiocarbamate, hydroxyurea, and temozolomide. These molecules have either antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, cytostatic, antioxidant, antimetastatic (differentiative), and immunomodulating features. Moreover, the inclusion of ATRA, MLT, and glucosamine with sodium valproate, diethyldithiocarbamate and acetazolamide has reinforced antitumor properties of the therapy by extending them to cancer stem cells. Furthermore, the non-cytolytic and non-cytotoxic metronomic dosage of hydroxyurea and temozolomide had increased the DBM therapy outcome by strengthening anti-tumor capability. The results of such treatment revealed that all seven patients were still alive after 5 to 8 years of starting DBM. In conclusion, the multi-strategic objectives of DBM are inhibiting the proliferative-invasiveness and neoplastic angiogenesis, silencing the survival system of cancer stem cells, enhancing the immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities, improving vitality and efficiency of normal cells, and depressing the efficiency and vitality of neoplastic ones.