title: Interleukin-2 and alpha interferon therapy of advanced pulmonary metastases.
abstract: Pulmonary metastases of a weakly immunogenic methylcholanthrene-induced murine fibrosarcoma MCA-106 were treated on day 10 for 10 days with saline, interleukin-2 (IL-2), hybrid recombinant interferon A/D (rIFN A/D) or the combination. IL-2/IFN effected greater than 99% reduction in tumor compared to saline, IL-2 or IFN alone. However, IL-2/IFN also resulted in early (less than 25 days) mortality of 33% in two consecutive experiments. Excluding these early deaths, a significant prolongation of survival resulted in 1 long-term survivor (greater than 150 days). Interruption of the 10-day treatment with a 2-day rest at 5 days abrogated early mortality, but despite significant prolongation of survival, no long-term survivors were seen. These data suggest possible clinical application of IL-2/IFN in the treatment of advanced tumor metastases but cautions of increased treatment toxicity associated with this regimen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, Ohio.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Warnaka
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imbembo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D013534:Survival; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2