title: Activity of outpatient intravenous interleukin-2 and famotidine in metastatic clear cell kidney cancer.
abstract: Outpatient daily intravenous infusions of interleukin-2 (IL-2) have been developed to maintain anticancer activity and decrease toxicity of this agent against kidney cancer. Lymphokine activated killer cell (LAK) numbers are increased with these IL-2 schedules. Famotidine may enhance the LAK activity by increasing IL-2 internalization by the IL-2 receptor on lymphocytes. Fifteen patients with metastatic clear cell kidney cancer received IL-2 18 million IU/M² intravenously over 15-30 minutes preceded by famotidine 20 mg IV daily for 3 days for 6 consecutive weeks as outpatients. Cycles were repeated every 8 weeks. Patient characteristics were seven males/eight females, median age 59 (range: 28-70), median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status-1; common metastatic sites were lungs (14), lymph nodes (9), liver (4), bone (4), and pancreas (4). Prior systemic therapies were oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (8), IL-2 (6), and mTor inhibitor (2). Most common toxicities were rigors, arthralgia/myalgia, nausea/emesis, fever, and hypotension. All episodes of hypotension were reversible with intravenous fluid. No patients required hospitalization due to toxicity. One complete response (7%) and four partial responses (26%) were seen (total response rate=33%; 95% confidence interval: 15%-59%). Responses occurred in the lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and bone. Outpatient intravenous IL-2 with famotidine has activity in metastatic clear cell kidney cancer.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Western Regional Medical Center , Goodyear, Arizona.
authors.forename: Walter D Y
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Francine Marie
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Quan
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015738:Famotidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015738:Famotidine