title: Peripheral blood neutrophils as independent immunologic predictor of response and long-term survival upon immunotherapy in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of pretreatment neutrophils, previously rendered statistically independent, on the response and on long-term survival of metastatic renal carcinoma patients treated with outpatient subcutaneous (s.c.) interleukin-2 (IL-2) and s.c. interferon (IFN)-alpha. We assessed a total of 495 patients receiving s.c. IL-2/s.c. IFN-alpha-based therapy. While 417 patients with neutrophil counts <6500 cells/microL at baseline achieved 30% objective responses and a median survival of 22 months, 78 patients with pretreatment neutrophil counts >or= 6500 cells/microL had 18% objective responses and a median survival of 9 months (p=0.0000). In conclusion, pretreatment peripheral blood neutrophils <6500/microL constitute an immunologic predictor of tumor response and long-term survival in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma patients treated with s.c. IL-2 and s.c. IFN-alpha-based regimens.
authors.affiliation: Fachklinik Hornheide an der Westfälischen Wilhelms-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; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2