title: Continuous infusion interleukin-2 and famotidine in metastatic kidney cancer.
abstract: Infusional interleukin-2 (IL-2) is able to elicit lymphokine-activated killer cell (LAK) cytotoxicity against kidney cancer in vitro and in vivo. Famotidine may be able to augment LAK cytotoxicity against neoplastic cells. Fifteen (15) patients were treated with continuous-infusion IL-2 (9-18 MIU/m2/24 hours) for 72 hours and famotidine 20 mg intravenously twice per day. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. These patients had a median age of 60 years (range, 29-72), had a median performance status of 1 (range, 0-1), and had metastatic sites, including lung, bone, lymph node, and liver. The most common toxicities of this regimen were hypophosphatemia, fever, nausea/emesis, rigors, elevated creatinine, and hypomagnesemia. One (1) complete and 6 partial responses have been seen (47% response rate). The median duration of response is 9 months. The median survival for all patients is 20 months. Five (5) patients are alive at a median of 36+ months. This combination of infusional IL-2 with famotidine is active in metastatic kidney cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. quanw@ecu.edu
authors.forename: Walter D Y
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinogradov
authors.forename: Francine M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Nawazish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Darla K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Liles
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015738:Famotidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015738:Famotidine