title: Phase II study of recombinant interferon alpha-2a and vinblastine in advanced renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: A total of 66 patients with advanced renal cell cancer received a combination of recombinant interferon alpha-2a (18 times 10(6) units subcutaneously 3 times weekly) and vinblastine (0.1 mg. per kg. intravenously every 3 weeks). Four patients were ineligible and 6 were inevaluable for response but evaluable for toxicity. There were no complete and 9 partial responses among the 56 evaluable patients, for a response rate of 16 per cent. Median duration of response was 26 weeks, with a range of 8 to 50 weeks. Responses were observed predominantly in patients with lung and soft tissue metastases. Patients who had undergone nephrectomy did not show a better response rate than those who had not. Almost all patients had a flu-like syndrome, fatigue and anorexia. Other side effects included leukopenia, nausea, vomiting, liver function disturbances and neurotoxicity. Most of the side effects were World Health Organization grade 1 or 2; no grade 4 toxicity was observed. Antibodies against interferon developed in 6 patients during the course of treatment. However, there was no relationship between the appearance of antibodies and disease progression. The combination of recombinant interferon alpha-2a and vinblastine has modest but definite activity in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, although the role of vinblastine is unclear.
authors.affiliation: Academisch Ziekenhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schornagel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: ten Bokkel Huinink
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Klijn
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: de Mulder
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Debruyne
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Deijk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roozendaal
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Veenhof
mesh_terms: D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014747:Vinblastine