title: Reactivation of a normal endogenous secretion of interleukin-2 in metastatic cancer patients by a chronic subcutaneous injection of interleukin-2.
abstract: It is known that advanced cancer patients may show abnormally low levels of IL-2. The immunotherapy with IL-2 can induce objective tumor regressions, but at present there are no data about the influence of a chronic exogenous IL-2 administration on endogenous secretion of IL-2. This preliminary study was performed to evaluate whether a prolonged IL-2 injection may be able to correct an eventual IL-2 endogenous deficiency in cancer patients. The study included 10 metastatic renal cancer patients, who underwent an immunotherapeutic cycle consisting of IL-2 at 6 million IU/day subcutaneously for 6 days/week for 4 weeks. Serum levels of IL-2 evaluated on venous blood samples collected before and 21 days after the end of IL-2 injection. Before the onset of treatment, abonormally low levels of IL-2 were seen in 6/10 patients. In patients with response or stable disease, mean levels of IL-2 observed 21 days after IL-2 cycle were significantly higher than those seen before therapy, whereas no difference occurred in those who progressed. This preliminary study would suggest that a prolonged subcutaneous injection of low-dose IL-2 may correct an eventual IL-2 endogenous deficiency in advanced cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Felice
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Majorca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardizzoia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tancini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lissoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2