Subcutaneous administration of interferon alpha and gamma in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is relatively resistant to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Response and survival of treatment with Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were evaluated in patients with metastatic RCC.

Thirty-one patients with confirmed RCC were included in this study. Fifteen of 31 patients received injection of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma three times a week. IFN-gamma was infused subcutaneously by microinfusion pump. Sixteen received IFN-alpha alone more than three times a week.

The overall response rate was 20.0% in the IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma group, and 12.5% in the IFN-alpha alone group. Long lasting stabilization of the disease (more than; 12 months) was seen in 92.3% of CR, PR or SD in the IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma group, as compared with 71.4% in the IFN-alpha alone group. Both groups differed significantly in survival rate from the first treatment with IFN (p < 0.05).

A long lasting stabilization of the disease can be expected in patients who were treated with our regimen of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma.