Short-term preoperative IL-2 immunotherapy in operable pancreatic cancer: a randomized study.
OBJECTIVE
A cell-mediated immunodeficiency is demonstrated to occur in advanced cancer patients. Lymphocytopenia predicts a poor prognosis, moreover, the surgical trauma can worsen the impaired immune surveillance and favor disease recurrence. This study investigates the effectiveness of preoperative interleukin-2 administration to improve lymphocyte counts' postoperative recovery in pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
31 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent radical surgery were randomized according to 3 different groups. Group A: 9 patients treated with human recombinant IL-2 subcutaneously at 9 million IU/day for 3 days before surgery; group B: 9 patients treated with IL-2 at 12 million IU/day for 3 days before surgery; group C: 13 patients treated with surgery alone. Assessment of total and T helper lymphocyte counts were studied at hospital admission and in 7th and 14th postoperative day.


RESULTS
Toxicity of IL-2 treatment was mild in all groups. Postoperative lymphocytopenia was observed in group A and C, without statistical differences, whereas group B had mean lymphocyte levels within the normal values in the postoperative period.


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary result suggests that preoperative subcutaneously IL-2 immunotherapy at 12 million IU for 3 consecutive days before surgery is able to abrogate the effects of the surgical trauma and recover a normal immunofunction in pancreatic cancer patients.
Uggeri
Franco
F
Department of Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
Caprotti
Roberto
R
De Grate
Luca
L
Crippa
Stefano
S
Nobili
Cinzia
C
Penati
Cristina
C
Romano
Fabrizio
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C082598:aldesleukin