title: Treatment of metastatic carcinoid tumors and the carcinoid syndrome with recombinant interferon alpha.
abstract: Fourteen patients with metastatic carcinoid tumors were treated with recombinant interferon alpha-2b at a dosage of 3-4 x 10(6) IU s.c. daily or every second day. No objective tumor regression was observed. Six out of 8 patients with carcinoids of the ileum and the caecum showed stable disease lasting for a median of 25 months (range 4-57). In 3 out of 6 patients with carcinoids of rectum, lung and of unknown primary site, stable disease was observed lasting for 2-7 months. The remaining patients had progressive disease. Six out of 9 evaluable patients had a more than 50% reduction of urinary 24 h 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid excretion lasting for a median of 4 months (range 2-11). Decrease of flushing was noticed in 3 out of 6 evaluable patients and decrease of diarrhea in 5 out of 9 evaluable patients. In 4 patients dose reduction was necessary due to confusion and fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doberauer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mengelkoch
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kloke
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wandl
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niederle
mesh_terms: D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008303:Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins