title: Immunologic changes in renal cell carcinoma patients receiving gamma interferon.
abstract: Immunologic changes were monitored in 5 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma participating in a phase II trial of recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN gamma). Treatment consisted of a 4-week period of intravenous infusion of either 0.1 mg/m2 given over 4 h on alternate days (3 times/week) or 2 mg/m2 given over 1 h for 5 days every other week. One minor response was seen at the higher dose level and toxicity was minimal (grades I-II). Absolute leukocyte counts and lymphocyte subpopulations did not change significantly. Both natural killer cytolytic activity and spontaneous monocyte-mediated tumoricidal activity increased. Prostaglandin E2 synthesis of patient leukocytes was abnormally high and pretreatment levels dropped during treatment. Data suggest that rIFN gamma may be potentially useful for enhancing immunologic function in renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Barna
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bukowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015232:Dinoprostone