title: Recombinant interleukin-2 treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: effect on natural cytotoxicity.
abstract: Natural cytotoxicity (natural killer, NK, and lymphokine-activated killer, LAK, activity) was documented in 12 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, both before and after a 5-day course of continuous therapy with intravenous recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2). Treatment induced a substantial increase in circulating CD56+ lymphocytes (pretreatment: 12.1 +/- 6.9%, mean +/- SD; posttreatment: 39.2 +/- 6.9%. Maximal NK cell activity was induced by treatment with rIL-2 but only suboptimal augmentation of LAK cell cytotoxicity was obtained. This study indicates that although continuous infusion of rIL-2 does have a significant effect on natural cytotoxicity, this is suboptimal and further studies are necessary to define the most efficacious immunity-enhancing regimens of therapy, thereby hopefully improving clinical outcome of rIL-2 treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aberdeen University, Foresterhill, UK.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Heys
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ashby
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eremin
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005472:Fluorouracil