title: 13-cis-retinoic acid plus interferon-alpha: a phase II clinical study in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and the head and neck.
abstract: Retinoids and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) have been shown to have a synergetic antiproliferative and differentiative effect on many cell lines, and in combination they have already been tested with some success in the treatment of some tumors. We investigated the tolerance and efficacy of high dose 13-cis-retinoic acid (2 mg/kg/day) and IFN-alpha in the treatment of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and of the head and neck. No partial or complete response was observed in the 10 patients treated. The toxicity was unusual and mild to moderate considering the dose of retinoid given. This observation leads us to suspect that IFN-alpha may alleviate some of the side effects of the retinoid, and is of interest in the design of future clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Division d'Onco-Hématologie, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abele
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alberto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015474:Isotretinoin