title: Metastatic renal carcinoma long-term survivors treated with s.c. interferon-alpha and s.c. interleukin-2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective analysis was to identify common features of long-term survivors among 218 advanced renal cell carcinoma patients sequentially entered on subcutaneous-recombinant-cytokine- based therapies between 1988 and 1993.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were treated with subcutaneous (s.c.) interferon-alpha2a (IFN-alpha2a) and s.c. interleukin-2 (IL-2) alone (n = 98 pts) or in combination with intravenous (i.v.) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (Atzpodien regimen; n = 120 pts); those patients who survived more than 10 years were classified as long-term survivors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (6.3%) were identified as long-term survivors with a median follow-up of 141 months (range, 122-174 months). According to a validated model of known clinical predictors, the long-term survivor group consisted of 6 low-risk, 5 intermediate-risk, and 2 high-risk patients, respectively. Within their clinical course, 9 longterm survivors achieved a complete response with a median duration of 141 months (range, 91-161 months), 1 patient yielded a partial remission, and 3 patients achieved stable disease. Maximum response was observed between 2 and 40 months after treatment initiation (median, 4 months), while treatment time to maximum response ranged from 2 to 14 months (median, 4 months). There was no correlation between treatment time and maximum response. Overall, long-term survivors underwent treatment for 4 and up to 80 months (median, 8 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that long-term survival of metastatic renal carcinoma patients beyond 10 years is independent of known clinical risk factors and treatment time. However, long-term survival of cytokine-treated, advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients remains a rare event and, thus, emphasizes the need for further investigations toward more effective therapies.
authors.affiliation: Fachklinik Hornheide an der Universität Münster, Münster, Germany. SekrProfAtzpodien@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atzpodien
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005472:Fluorouracil