title: Concomitant chemotherapy and IFN-alpha for small cell lung cancer: a randomized multicenter phase III study.
abstract: Patients with any stage of small cell lung cancer were given low-dose interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) from the first day of treatment as long as possible irrespective of changes in treatment dictated by disease progression. All patients received 6 cycles of the chemotherapy (CT): cisplatin 70 mg/m2 i.v. day 1 and etoposide 100 mg/m2 i.v. days 1, 2, 3 every 28 days. Seventy-eight patients were assigned to arm 1: CT alone, 75 patients to arm 2: CT + natural IFN-alpha (3 MU three times a week i.m.), and 66 patients to arm 3: CT + recombinant IFN alpha-2a (3 MU three times a week i.m.). There was no difference in median survival between the arms (10.2 months, 10.0 months, 10.1 months, respectively), p = 0.32. The 2-year survival rates were 15%, 3%, and 11%, respectively. Grade 3 and 4 leukopenia occurred more frequently in the IFN arms than in the CT alone arm and resulted in dose reductions. Antibodies occasionally developed to recombinant IFN. We conclude that IFN-alpha can be administered concomitantly with chemotherapy but is probably better kept for maintenance therapy so that optimal full doses of induction CT can be given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ruotsalainen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halme
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamminen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szopinski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niiranen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyrhönen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riska
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maasilta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jekunen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäntylä
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajanti
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joensuu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cantell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins