title: Combination interleukin-2 and doxorubicin in advanced adult solid tumors: circumvention of doxorubicin resistance in soft-tissue sarcoma?
abstract: Based on the likelihood of antitumor interactions between cytokines and cytotoxic drugs, we designed a pilot study to evaluate feasibility, clinical, pharmacologic, and immunologic effects of concomitantly administered subcutaneous (SQ) recombinant interleukin-2 (r-IL-2) and doxorubicin (ADR) in patients with advanced solid tumors (AST). Patients received one injection of ADR alone (70 mg/m2) and 3 weeks later a combination of r-IL-2 (18 MIU/m2 days 1-5 s.q.) and ADR at the same dose either 3-4 h after the first r-IL-2 injection (arm 1) or 2 days after the last r-IL-2 injection (arm 2). The same combination was repeated every 4 weeks according to the evolution of the disease. Pharmacokinetics were assessed over 48 h after injection of ADR alone and after the first ADR-IL-2 cycle and immunologic monitoring at days 1 and 8 of the first ADR-IL-2 cycle. Tumors were measured at baseline, after ADR alone, and after each ADR-IL-2 cycle until progression. Twenty-one adult patients with various AST including 14 soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) entered the study, 11 in arm 1 and 10 in arm 2. All patients were heavily pretreated; 16 had received an anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimen. Eleven patients were ADR refractory and 1 ADR resistant. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 28, 82, and 40% of patients after ADR alone, ADR-IL-2 in arm 1 and ADR-IL-2 in arm 2, respectively. Mucitis was higher in arm 1 (7 of 11 patients) compared with arm 2 (0 of 10) and ADR alone (0 of 21). SQ injections of r-IL-2 did not affect ADR pharmacokinetics. ADR injection in arm 1 prevented IL-2-induced lymphocyte rebounds in all patients but did not alter qualitatively non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxicity. There was no response after ADR alone. Two patients, one in each arm, experienced a prolonged (8 and 5 months) objective response after ADR-IL-2. Both had ADR-refractory STS with a local relapse and metastatic metastases. Interestingly, both patients had unusually elevated TNF-alpha levels before and after the first ADR cycle. Combination ADR-IL-2, although toxic, is feasible and manageable with routine clinical support. r-IL-2 enhanced ADR hematologic and extrahematologic toxicities. The two objective responses observed in these heavily pretreated patients refractory to ADR supports the hypothesis of a modulation of ADR resistance, possibly mediated by means of a mechanism involving TNF-alpha. Elevated baseline TNF-alpha levels could be predictive of response to ADR-IL-2 and deserves further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Immunotherapy Unit, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Le Cesne
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vassal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farace
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Le Chevalier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Angevin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valteau-Couanet
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fizazi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cojean
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llombard
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tursz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Escudier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004317:Doxorubicin