title: Unexplained spontaneous regression and alpha-interferon as treatment for metastatic renal carcinoma.
abstract: A series of 73 patients with measurable metastatic disease referred to a tertiary referral centre for consideration for an experimental treatment protocol were entered into a surveillance protocol in order to establish the incidence of spontaneous regression. Initially, patients were taken off the study if metastases showed greater than 25% increase in products of bidimensional measurement but with increasing confidence patients went into therapy protocols only following the development of symptomatic progression. We observed 3 complete and 2 partial unexplained spontaneous regressions and a further 4 patients had prolonged stable disease for more than 12 months. A group of 21 patients on progression subsequently received treatment with alpha-interferon (Wellferon) as part of a multicentre study which included an additional 61 cases; 12 responded (3 surveillance relapse patients and 9 others). Patients with lung metastases only had the highest response rate (10/17 compared with 5 unexplained responses seen in 38 such patients on surveillance). These results confirm that alpha-interferon is active against metastatic renal carcinoma and that the responses are not totally explicable by spontaneous regression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, London Hospital Medical College.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Nethersell
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bottomley
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I