Immunotherapy with low-dose subcutaneous interleukin-2 plus beta-interferon as a second-line therapy for metastatic colorectal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Beta-interferon (beta-IFN) has been proven to influence some IL-2-induced immune effects. On the basis of these experimental data, we evaluated the immunobiologic effects of an association between very low-dose IL-2 and beta-IFN in advanced cancer patients.


METHODS
The study was performed in 15 metastatic colon cancer patients, who progressed in response to a first-line chemotherapy with 5-FU plus folates. IL-2 was given subcutaneously at a daily dose of 3 million IU in the evening for 6 days/week for 4 weeks. beta-IFN was injected subcutaneously at a dose of 3 million U/day for 7 days before the first IL-2 injection, then thrice/week until the end of IL-2 administration. In nonprogressed patients, a second cycle was given after a 14-day rest period.


RESULTS
No objective tumor regression was seen. Stable disease was obtained only in 2/15 patients; the other 13 progressed. Toxicity was low in all cases. Natural killer cell and T-activated lymphocyte mean number significantly increased during the immunotherapy. Lymphocyte and eosinophil mean number also increased, without, however, significant differences. IL-2-induced suppressive events, consisting of an increase in T-suppressor cell number, and soluble IL-2 receptor levels were not blocked by beta-IFN.


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed that the concomitant administration of beta-IFN may determine an improvement in the immune performance in metastatic cancer patients treated with very low-dose IL-2, even though this biologic improvement does not seem to be associated to a control of tumor development. Further studies in patients with less advanced disease are needed to better define the impact of the immune improvement induced by low-dose IL-2 plus beta-IFN on the clinical course of the neoplastic disease.
Barni
S
S
Divisione di Radioterapia Oncologica, Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Milano, Italy.
Lissoni
P
P
Ardizzola
A
A
Vigoré
L
L
Vezzo
R
R
Rescaldani
R
R
Tancini
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
D007376:Interleukin-2; D016899:Interferon-beta