title: Randomized study of interleukin 2 (IL-2) alone vs IL-2 plus lymphokine-activated killer cells for treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a continuous-infusion interleukin 2 (IL-2) regimen for patients with metastatic melanoma and renal cell cancer. To investigate the contribution of adoptively transferred lymphokine-activated killer cells, patients were randomized to receive either IL-2 alone or IL-2 plus lymphokine-activated killer cells. Twenty-three patients with renal cell carcinoma and 20 with melanoma were entered into the protocol. There were no objective responses noted in the 38 assessable patients (20 with renal cell carcinoma, 18 with melanoma). Most patients demonstrated progressive disease following one 31-day cycle of weekly continuous-infusion IL-2. Grade I and II toxic reactions, including fever, rash, anorexia, and weight gain, were common and treated symptomatically. Significant in vivo stimulation of lymphokine-activated killer and natural killer cell activity was noted in most patients. This continuous-infusion IL-2 regimen with or without lymphokine-activated killer cells was ineffective in the treatment of melanoma and renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koretz
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: York
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated; D007937:Leukapheresis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2