A phase II trial of intravenous gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil with subcutaneous interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to determine the response rate and toxicity of gemcitabine and continuous-infusion 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with subcutaneous interleukin-2 (IL2) and interferon-alpha (IFNA) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Forty-one patients were treated with gemcitabine 600 mg/m2 on Days 1, 8, and 15 and continuous-infusion 5-FU on Days 1-21. The dose of 5-FU was 200 mg/m2 per day for the initial 8 patients but was reduced to 150 mg/m2 per day for all remaining patients due to toxicity. Starting on Day 15, IL2 and IFNA were administered for 4 weeks. IL2 was administered at a dose of 11 x 10(6) IU subcutaneously (s.c.) 4 days per week and IFNA was administered at a dose of 10.0 x 10(6) IU s.c. 2 days per week.


RESULTS
Of 41 patients enrolled in the study, there was 1 complete response (CR), and there were 5 partial responses (PR), for an overall response rate of 14.6% (90% confidence interval [90%CI], 6.6-26.9%). The median time to disease progression was 6.6 months (90%CI, 3.9-7.5 months), and the median overall survival was 20.6 months (90%CI, 9.6-23.3 months). Toxicity was moderate to severe, with fatigue, fever, anorexia, or nausea experienced by 75-90% of patients. Mucositis and neutropenia, likely due to the gemcitabine and 5-FU, were experienced by a majority of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of gemcitabine and 5-FU to subcutaneous IL2 and IFNA results in a similar response rate to what was observed in previous studies of IL2-based therapy. The toxicity of this four-drug combination is significant, and the regimen is not recommended for further development.
Ryan
Christopher W
CW
Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. cryan@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Vogelzang
Nicholas J
NJ
Stadler
Walter M
WM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine