title: Interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha-2a outpatient therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: The combination of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-alpha-2a (IFN-alpha-2a) has synergistic bioactivity in numerous preclinical model systems. Thirty-nine patients with metastatic renal cell cancer were treated with continuous intravenous infusion IL-2 for 4-5 days plus intramuscular IFN-alpha-2a 2-3 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks. A 2- to 4-week rest period was permitted after each 4 weeks of treatment. Thirty-one of the 39 patients were assessable for response determination. Response rate (six complete+seven partial remissions) was 33.3% for all patients, or 41.9% when the analysis was restricted to the 31 evaluable patients. Three patients were unable to tolerate treatment due to anorexia, weight loss, and severe fatigue. This therapy was relatively well tolerated in the outpatient setting in the other patients despite fever, chills, fatigue, anorexia, and weight loss. There was no correlation of response with site of metastases or bulk of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medicine Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lipton
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Givant
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawler
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirsh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeffren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins