Adjuvant interferon alpha therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): prognostic value of DNA cytophotometry.
BACKGROUND
Adjuvant immunotherapy with interferon alpha in non-metastatic RCC is still controversial. It was the aim of the present study to investigate whether tumor ploidy can help to isolate a group of patients profitting from this treatment.


METHODS
Survival data of 119 patients undergoing tumor nephrectomy because of a non-metastatic RCC were analyzed retrospectively. Ploidy was measured in every tumor by means of DNA-cytophotometry. 24 patients received an adjuvant therapy with interferon alpha for one year. Statistical evaluation was performed by the Kaplan-Meier-Method with the logrank-test.


RESULTS
Ploidy could be measured in all tumors. 56 (47%) tumors showed a diploid, 63 (53%) an aneuploid DNA-distribution. Ploidy was seen to be a good prognostic factor in RCC with significantly better survival in patients with diploid than those with aneuploid tumors. The adjuvant interferon therapy provided a marginal however not significant better survival in diploid tumors. Patients with aneuploid RCC had no benefit from this treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The data show that an interferon treatment in non-metastatic RCC might improve survival in patients with the prognostic better diploid tumors. However further investigations are necessary to give a general recommendation for this therapy in this group of patients. Additional molecular tumor factors like S-phase analysis and others might also improve patient selection.
Basting
R
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Department of Urology, Kreiskrankenhaus Alt-/Neuötting, Altötting, Germany.
Corvin
S
S
Händel
D
D
Hinke
A
A
Schmidt
D
D
D000782:Aneuploidy; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004171:Diploidy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011003:Ploidies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016898:Interferon-alpha