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Long-term survival after continuous infusion interleukin-2
R O Dillman1, C Church, N M Barth
1Patty and George Hoag Cancer Center, Newport Beach, California 92658, USA.
Cancer Biotherapy & Radiopharmaceuticals
|August 1, 1997
Summary
High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy showed a 6% to 20% 3-year survival rate in metastatic cancers. Objective tumor response significantly correlated with improved long-term survival, highlighting IL-2's potential in select patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- High-dose continuous intravenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) was administered to 612 patients in National Biotherapy Study Group (NBSG) phase II trials between 1987-1990.
- This analysis focuses on long-term survival outcomes and the relationship between tumor response and survival following IL-2 treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the long-term survival rates associated with high-dose continuous intravenous IL-2 therapy.
- To investigate the correlation between objective tumor response and survival in patients treated with IL-2.
Main Methods:
- Identification of patients surviving at least 3 years post-IL-2 initiation.
- Calculation of actual and actuarial survival rates stratified by malignancy type and tumor response.
Main Results:
- At least 6.0% of patients survived over 3 years, with a potential 3-year survival rate as high as 20%.
- Objective response rates (complete or partial response) were 9%, with a 15% total response rate including mixed responses.
- Three-year survival rates were significantly higher for responders (17%) compared to stable disease (8%) and progressive disease (2%).
- Patients with objective tumor responses had a substantially higher likelihood of surviving beyond 3 years compared to non-responders (17% vs. 4%).
Conclusions:
- Interleukin-2 therapy demonstrated a significant improvement in 3-year survival for responders and those with stable disease compared to progressive disease.
- Actual 3-year survival rates of 6% to 8% were observed in patients with metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, even after standard therapy failure.