Myositis associated with interleukin-2 therapy in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been used successfully in the treatment of some patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and melanoma, with a partial response rate of 15%-20%. It produces a well documented spectrum of side effects. Autoimmune diseases have been associated with IL-2 immunotherapy and the development of autoimmune thyroiditis may correlate with antitumor clinical response.


METHODS
A patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma is described who developed a polymyositis-like myopathy after an autologous tumor vaccine and IL-2 therapy.


RESULTS
The patient had a delayed response for 15 months after developing this previously unreported toxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
To the authors' knowledge, this represents the first reported case of necrotizing myositis in association with IL-2 therapy. Subsequent continuous partial response of the advanced malignancy was observed for 15 months. In this case, IL-2 may have broken tolerance to both normal muscle cells and tumor cells.
Esteva-Lorenzo
F J
FJ
Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Janik
J E
JE
Fenton
R G
RG
Emslie-Smith
A
A
Engel
A G
AG
Longo
D L
DL
D001706:Biopsy; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
D007376:Interleukin-2