title: Interleukin-2 and lanreotide in the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date no efficacious treatments are available for advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated in vitro and in vivo a new strategy for the therapy of MTC, combining human recombinant IL-2 with lanreotide (LAN), a somatostatin analog.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro effects of LAN on the sensitivity of TT cells, a MTC cell line, to IL-2-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined by a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. In addition, we evaluated the toxicity, the effects on quality of life, and the antitumor activity of sc low-dose IL-2 in combination with LAN (90 mg every 28 days) in a series of 6 patients with symptomatic and advanced MTC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cytotoxicity of IL-2-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was significantly increased in TT cells treated with LAN or LAN plus IL-2 compared with that in TT cells without treatment. The therapy was well tolerated, and a statistically significant improvement of quality of life was observed in patients treated with the combination of LAN and IL-2. After 6 months of therapy, partial response and stable disease have been recorded in 2 and 3 patients, respectively, with a significant decrease in calcitonin levels in 3 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both in vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that the combination of LAN and IL-2 may have a role in the management of advanced and symptomatic MTC. However, these preliminary data require further validation in larger randomized trials.
authors.affiliation: Italian Auxologic Institute, University of Milan, Via Zucchi 18, Cusano Milanino (MI) 20095, Milan, Italy. giovanni.vitale@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lupoli
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guarrasi
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dicitore
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaudenzi
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Misso
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Addeo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caraglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C060347:lanreotide; D013004:Somatostatin