High-dose interleukin-2 immunotherapy is safe for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma on dialysis.
OBJECTIVE
To report our experience of high-dose interleukin-2 immunotherapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) on haemodialysis.


METHODS
Two anephric patients with metastatic RCC on haemodialysis received interleukin-2 (600,000 IU/kg) every 8 h for a maximum of 14 doses. The patients rested for 9 days and cycles were repeated as tolerated. A nephrologist followed the patients during treatment and they received nearly daily haemodialysis.


RESULTS
These two cases were treated with high-dose interleukin-2 and had no unusual toxicity or adverse events. The first patient tolerated five, five, four, four and one dose of interleukin-2 over five cycles. He had a partial response to treatment with a decrease in size of a mediastinal mass, but ultimately developed progressive disease and died 32 months later. The second patient had four cycles of interleukin-2 (13, 13, 14 and nine doses). He initially maintained stable disease throughout treatment, but the disease ultimately progressed and he died 19 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend considering high-dose interleukin-2 immunotherapy in highly selected dialysis patients with metastatic RCC. Further study is required to determine the safety, efficacy and optimum dosing in this group.
Brusky
John P
JP
Urology, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Gailani
Fawez
F
Pathak
Apurba
A
Patel
Hatel
H
Aboseif
Sherif
S
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2