Alpha-interferon (Wellferon) as an adjunct to standard surgical therapy in the management of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
Ten patients received lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon (Wellferon) in a crossover study so that Wellferon and standard microsurgical laryngeal laser therapy could be compared to laser therapy alone. Wellferon was administered initially at an intravenous high dose of 15 megaunits/m2 for 5 days followed by a daily dose of 2 megaunits/m2 subcutaneously for 6 months. Dosage was adjusted according to predefined toxicity. One patient was withdrawn from the study. Of the others, all but one received over 75% of the planned total dose. At follow-up of the nine assessable patients, complete remission was achieved in two of them, partial remission in four, and no response in the remainder. The two complete remissions were sustained for 2 years, but the four partial remissions were not sustained. Thus, a role for alpha-interferon in the kind of regimen used here remains to be established.
Benjamin
B N
BN
Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney, Australia.
Gatenby
P A
PA
Kitchen
R
R
Harrison
H
H
Cameron
K
K
Basten
A
A
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery; D053685:Laser Therapy; D010212:Papilloma / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins