title: Interferon maintenance therapy for small cell lung cancer: improvement in long-term survival.
abstract: Two hundred thirty-seven patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), who had responded to induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy, were randomly assigned to receive low-dose natural interferon-alpha (nIFN alpha) for 6 months; or 6 cycles of maintenance chemotherapy (CAP); or no maintenance therapy (control group). Although there was no difference in median survival between the groups, there was a significant difference (p = 0.04) in the long-term survival of patients with limited disease, in favour of nIFN alpha maintenance therapy. This finding is now confirmed by a further analysis of the most recent data. Ten percent of patients in the IFN group survived for five years or more, but the 5-year-survival rate in the CAP and control groups was only two percent. All long-term survivors had good performance status. The majority had limited disease and had achieved a complete response to the induction therapy. These results suggest that interferon-alpha improves the long-term survival of SCLC patients for whom other prognostic factors are favorable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niiranen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruotsalainen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maasilta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halme
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyrhönen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajanti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäntylä
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamminen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jekunen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cantell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha