title: Home therapy with recombinant interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha 2b in advanced human malignancies.
abstract: The safety, tolerance, and clinical effects of a home therapy regimen of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2) and interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-alpha 2b) self injected subcutaneously have been assessed in 35 patients with advanced cancer refractory to standard therapy. 52 treatment cycles were given, each consisting of a 2-day rIL-2 pulse of 9.0 million IU/m2 every 12 h, followed by 6 weeks of rIL-2 1.8 million IU/m2 twice daily for 5 days per week and of IFN-alpha 2b 5.0 million U/m2 thrice a week. The main adverse effects were fever, chills, nausea, anorexia, and hypotension and were limited to WHO grades of severity I and II in 29 of 35 patients. No treatment-related deaths occurred. The response rates among patients with renal-cell carcinoma were similar to those reported for high-dose intravenous regimens of interleukin-2 that are toxic and have to be given in hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Oncology, M.H.H. University Medical Center, Hannover, West Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atzpodien
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Körfer
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Poliwoda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirchner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012646:Self Administration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007370:Interferon Type I; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins