title: Effectiveness of very low doses of immunotherapy in advanced renal cell cancer.
abstract: Twenty-one nephrectomized patients with metastatic renal cell cancer were treated with recombinant interleukin 2 (rlL-2) and interferon alpha (rIFN alpha). rIL-2 was administered s.c. at a dose of 1 x 10(6) IU m(-2) every 12 h on days 1 and 2, followed by 0.5 x 10(6) IU twice daily on days 3-5; rIFN alpha-2 was given i.m. as 1.8 x 10(6) IU m(-2) on days 3 and 5 of each week for 4 consecutive weeks. The cycle was regularly repeated at 4-month intervals and continued ad libitum in patients showing some response and in patients with progressing disease. Of 20 patients evaluable for treatment response, one (5%) had a complete response and three (15%) showed partial response. Three patients (15%) achieved stable disease and 13 (65%) were evaluated as having progressive disease. The estimated actuarial 44-month survival rate was 44%. Toxicity was limited to WHO grades 1 and 2 only.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica e Nefrologia, Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buzio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Palma
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Potenzoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrozzi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cattabiani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manenti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins