title: Salvage immunotherapy with subcutaneous recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) and alpha-interferon (A-IFN) for stage D3 prostate carcinoma failing second-line hormonal treatment.
abstract: Immunotherapy with subcutaneous rIL-2 and alpha IFN was administered to stage D3 prostate cancer patients after failure of secondary treatment with oral estramustine phosphate. Of a total of 15 patients, 2 are in partial response, with estramustine maintained after 44+ and 36+ weeks, respectively. Response to estramustine was observed initially in 7 of 13 patients, with a median duration of 12 weeks (range 8-20). No response to estramustine was observed in the remaining 6 patients. After the failure of estramustine, 13 patients were treated with immunotherapy. After the first cycle, progression of disease no therapy was given to those patients. A reduction of PSA levels was observed during the first cycle in 2 patients (15.3%); levels subsequently increased during the second cycle of treatment. A partial response was observed in 4 patients (30.7%), with a reduction of PSA levels in 3. The duration of response was 28 and 32 weeks in 2 patients who survived after failure for 18 and 21 weeks, respectively. Two patients are still alive, with continued partial response at 62+ and 42+ weeks. Side effects were represented mainly by a flu-like syndrome, associated with fever and nausea in all patients. The serum concentration of IL-10 was measured in 8 patients under study and in 11 matched controls. Levels higher than mean + 2D of controls before, during, or after immunotherapy were correlated with treatment failure, whereas levels below 6 ng/ml were encountered among the patients who showed a clinical response and a reduction of PSA during treatment. Within the limitations of this pilot study, it appears difficult to distinguish between a spontaneously slowly progressing disease and a true response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Urologica, Università di Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maffezzini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simonato
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004961:Estramustine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D004961:Estramustine; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen