Conception and stages of development of the microbiological cancer test.

Pathology and experimental bacteriology have, in scientific medicine, created fundamental methodical presuppositions for the description and recognition of etiologic entities. With the tumour-tetanus phenomen, two pathogenic principles--cancer growth and tetanus infection--coincide in a so far unknown manner. Analytical experiments have led to the novel idea of the mitosis-stimulated anaerobic tetanus infection. This specific pathomechanism and its mathematical model formed the basis for the development of the serological Clostridium-tumour test with nontoxic, apathogenic Butyricus Clostridia as test microbes. As viable diagnostic agents the test spores are subject to the 12th Regulation of the Drug Act of the GDR. Only the histopathological judgement allows for the detection of micro-tissue alterations following i.v. overdoses of spores. The test spores were confirmed as safe and effective, and the microbiological cancer test approved to be appropriate for a clinical trial.