Interferon as adjunctive treatment for non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of recombinant alpha 2b-interferon therapy on natural killer (NK) activity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the peripheral blood in patients with renal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy.


METHODS
Between January 1988 and June 1989, 20 patients (14 men and six women, mean age 59 years, range 43-80) received interferon (IFN) therapy following radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. Thirteen patients had stage I disease, one had stage II and six had stage III; none had metastases.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase in NK activity at 5 and 7 months after starting IFN therapy but there was no increase in ADCC.


CONCLUSIONS
Low doses of IFN administered long-term increased NK activity in patients with renal cell carcinoma. This finding should be helpful in designating protocols for randomized studies of post-operative IFN administration as adjuvant therapy.
Takahashi
S
S
Department of Urology, Oita Medical University, Japan.
Tanigawa
T
T
Imagawa
M
M
Mimata
H
H
Nomura
Y
Y
Ogata
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins