title: Combination therapy with subcutaneous interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha in advanced renal cancer patients with poor prognostic factors.
abstract: Sixteen patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were treated with a combination of low-dose subcutaneous interleukin-2 (IL-2) and recombinant interferon (IFN)-alpha. One treatment course included 6 weeks of treatment followed by a 2-week rest. Patients received therapy as outpatients. All patients were assessable for toxicity and response assessment. Nine patients experienced severe toxicities resulting in dosage modification. The major treatment-limiting side effects were gastrointestinal, cutaneous, fever and flu-like symptoms. One patient (6%) had partial remission and six patients (37.5%) had disease stabilization. Overall median survival was 8 months. In our study IL-2 and IFN-alpha showed a low activity and a quite high toxicity. It seems that the prognostic factors per se rather than treatment options might impact the treatment results in advanced renal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology II, National Institute for Cancer Research of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canobbio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curotto
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cannata
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miglietta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lavarello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cussotto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boccardo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins