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Nonspecific and selective stimulation of the immune system in the treatment of carcinoma in humans . The experience of the Toronto General Hospital in the use of nonspecific stimulation of the immune system with bacille Calmette-Guérin ( BCG ) for the treatment of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract , malignant melanoma and breast cancer is described . The results are presented in terms of survival curves . The use of BCG administered intraperitoneally in a randomized study of patients with gastric , pancreatic and colorectal cancer proved of no benefit . On the other hand , when BCG was given orally in a randomized study of patients with resectable cancer of the colon and in nonrandomized consecutive studies of patients with malignant melanoma and stage IV carcinoma of the breast survival was increased . In a group of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer selective stimulation of the immune system with NED 137 produced a significant increase in survival when compared with the survival of historical controls ( the patients given BCG intraperitoneally along with 5-fluorouracil for gastrointestinal cancer ) . The results of these studies suggest the need for a more rational approach in manipulating the immune response that would combine chemotherapy with selective stimulation of the immune system .