title: Interleukin-2, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil for patients with non-small cell lung and head/neck carcinomas.
abstract: The feasibility and efficacy of treating patients with locally recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or head/neck cancer with interleukin-2 (IL-2), cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was tested. Treatment was given every 28 days and consisted of cisplatin, 100 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8; 5-FU, 1,000 mg/m2 by continuous infusion on days 1-3; and IL-2, 12 million units/m2 by i.v. bolus on days 15-19. Thirty-four patients (22 NSCLC, 12 head/neck cancer) were registered in the study. The median age was 58 years; 59% had Karnofsky performance status of 70-80% and over one-half received prior therapy. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 29 (18 NSCLC, 11 head/neck cancer) were evaluable for response. Twenty-five patients experienced at least one grade 3 or 4 toxicity, but these toxicities were transient and, in general, well tolerated. The response rate was 37% for NSCLC (0 complete response, 7 partial response) and 55% for head/neck cancer (2 complete response, 4 partial response). Two patients with head/neck cancer responded to treatment after failing prior therapy with cisplatin/5-FU alone. The combination of IL-2, cisplatin, and 5-FU is tolerable and active for treatment of NSCLC and head/neck carcinoma; the combination may not be cross-resistant with other chemotherapy combinations. Further studies of IL-2 combined with cisplatin/5-FU are warranted to determine the most effective dose and schedule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94941.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Valone
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gandara
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Deisseroth
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rayner
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Aronson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luce
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paradise
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil