title: A phase II study of combined intravenous and subcutaneous interleukin-2 in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: A total of 29 previously untreated patients with histologically proven malignant pleural mesothelioma, with an ECOG score of < or = 2 and UICC stage I-II disease, were enrolled between May 1994 and October 1996. On days 1 and 2, 18 x 10(6) IU/day of rIL-2 was administered by continuous intravenous infusion, and 6 x 10(6) IU/day of rIL-2 by subcutaneous injection on days 5--20 inclusive of a 42-day cycle. Further treatment was administered if no radiological disease progression was demonstrated. A total of 29 patients were assessable for toxicity and 25 for response, and 49 cycles of IL-2 were administered with a median of one per patient (range, < 1-4). Toxicity included mild fever, nausea and vomiting, and skin rashes, < grade II. Three patients failed to complete one cycle of treatment because of toxicity and one died of disease before response evaluation. Two patients achieved a partial response (8%, 95% CI 1-26%) surviving 18.1 and 18.7 months from diagnosis. A total of 11 patients (44%, 95% CI 24-65%) with stable disease had a median survival of 13.6 months (range 6.5-33.8). The median survival was 8.6 months (range 3.7-34.5) for the 12 patients with progressive disease (48%, 95% CI 28-69%). This regimen of rIL-2 is well tolerated and shows limited activity in mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and the London NHS Trust, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Mulatero
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Penson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papamichael
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Gower
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rudd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2