Interleukin-2- and interferon alfa-2a-based immunochemotherapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma: a Prospectively Randomized Trial of the German Cooperative Renal Carcinoma Chemoimmunotherapy Group (DGCIN).
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a prospectively randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of three outpatient therapy regimens in 341 patients with progressive metastatic renal cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Patients were stratified according to known clinical predictors and were subsequently randomly assigned. Treatment arms were: arm A (n = 132), subcutaneous interferon alfa-2a (sc-IFN-alpha-2a), subcutaneous interleukin-2 (sc-IL-2), and intravenous (IV) fluorouracil; arm B (n = 146): arm A treatment combined with per oral 13-cis-retinoic acid; and arm C (n = 63), sc-IFN-alpha-2a and IV vinblastine.


RESULTS
Treatment (according to the standard 8-week Hannover Atzpodien regimen) arms A, B, and C yielded objective response rates of 31%, 26%, and 20%, respectively. Arm B, but not arm A, showed a significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with arm C (P =.0248). Both arm A (median overall survival, 25 months; P =.0440) and arm B (median overall survival, 27 months; P =.0227) led to significantly improved overall survival (OS) compared with arm C (median OS, 16 months). All three sc-IFN-alpha-2a-based therapies were moderately or well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results established the safety and improved long-term therapeutic efficacy of sc-IL-2 plus sc-INF-alpha-2a-based outpatient immunochemotherapies, compared with sc-INF-alpha-2a/IV vinblastine.
Atzpodien
J
J
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany. Sekrprofatzpodien@yahoo.de
Kirchner
H
H
Jonas
U
U
Bergmann
L
L
Schott
H
H
Heynemann
H
H
Fornara
P
P
Loening
S A
SA
Roigas
J
J
Müller
S C
SC
Bodenstein
H
H
Pomer
S
S
Metzner
B
B
Rebmann
U
U
Oberneder
R
R
Siebels
M
M
Wandert
T
T
Puchberger
T
T
Reitz
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014747:Vinblastine; D015474:Isotretinoin; D005472:Fluorouracil