title: Long-term survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with continuous intravenous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2: the experience of a single institution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metastatic renal cell carcinoma is one of the few tumors for which a clear benefit of immunotherapy has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, along with response rate and other prognostic and predictive factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 1989 and May 1995, 56 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were treated in a single institution with high-dose recombinant interleukin-2 in continuous infusion. Survival was measured by the Kaplan and Meier method. Prognostic factors were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses of survival (Cox proportional hazard ratio model).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 56 patients, 15 had objective responses (26.8%), 16 stable disease (28.6%), 18 disease progressions (32.1%), and 7 (12.5%) were not valuable for response. Median overall survival was 20 months, and probability of 2- and 5-year survival was 41% and 21%, respectively. At multivariate analysis, the increased risk of death for: performance status > or = 2 vs 0 (HR = 6.20), stable disease (HR = 1.87), disease progression (HR = 10.61) vs partial or complete remission, and for hypotension and oliguria toxicity, G3 + G4 vs G1 + G2 (HR = 2.19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms the activity of IL-2 based immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma. Moreover, ECOG performance status, clinical response, hypotension and oliguria toxicity resulted as independent survival prognostic factors.
authors: Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, Aviano, PN, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Libra
authors: Renato
authors: R
authors: Talamini
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Crivellari
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Buonadonna
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Freschi
authors: Petar
authors: P
authors: Stefanovski
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Berretta
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: De Cicco
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Balestreri
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Merlo
authors: Rachele
authors: R
authors: Volpe
authors: Enzo
authors: E
authors: Galligioni
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Sorio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins