Repeated cycles with 72-hour continuous infusion interleukin-2 in kidney cancer and melanoma.
While high-dose bolus inpatient interleukin-2 is generally given on 8-week cycles, continuous infusion interleukin-2 could potentially allow for more rapidly repeated cycles. Fourteen (14) patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0 or 1, having either kidney cancer (6) or melanoma (8), have been treated with continuous infusion (CIV) interleukin-2 (IL-2) 18 MIU/m(2)/24 hours for 72 hours. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks up to 4 cycles, then every 3-4 weeks for 2 cycles, then every 6-8 weeks, until progression or intolerable toxicity. All patients received famotidine 20 mg intravenously (i.v.) twice per day during the 72-hour infusions. Patient characteristics included a median ECOG performance status of 1; median age = 63 (range: 25-79); most common metastatic sites: lung (9), bone (5), lymph nodes (5), and the liver (3). No patients with metastatic kidney cancer underwent a nephrectomy prior to interleukin-2. Median number of cycles received = 5 (1-9). No patients required Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. There have been no treatment-related deaths. Most common toxicities have been rigors, fever, nausea/emesis, and the reversible elevation of creatinine. One complete response and three partial responses (67% response rate; 95% confidence interval: 30%-90%) have been seen in kidney cancer, and two partial responses (25% response rate; 95% confidence interval: 7%-60%) have occurred in melanoma. Median survival has not been reached at >9+ months. Responding sites include the liver, bone, lung, lymph node and subcutaneous sites. Inpatient 72-hour continuous infusion interleukin-2 at this dose and schedule is well tolerated by patients with an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 and has activity in kidney cancer and melanoma.
Immunotherapy Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University/Brody School of Medicine, Leo Jenkins Cancer Center, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. quanw@mail.ecu.edu
Walter
W
Quan
Wendy
W
Brick
Mikhail
M
Vinogradov
W Chris
WC
Taylor
Nawazish
N
Khan
Russell
R
Burgess
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D007376:Interleukin-2