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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine
Published on: February 24, 2023
Effects of subcutaneous recombinant IL-2 on humoral immunity in advanced cancer-patients
A Casamassima1, M Guida, A Latorre
1ONCOL INST,DIV MED ONCOL,I-70126 BARI,ITALY. ONCOL INST,RADIOIMMUNOL LAB,I-70126 BARI,ITALY.
Immunotherapy represents a promising biological approach to cancer treatment. Important haemato-immunological modifications during rIL-2 treatment have been demonstrated in all patients treated, independently of the schedule and mode of rIL-2 administration. Generally, there is a lack of correlation between treatment-related modifications and clinical response. rIL-2 cell-mediated responses have been extensively studied but the role of humoral immunity is still unclear. We evaluated the peripheral blood CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD25 lymphocyte subset modifications and serum levels of immunoglobulin, IL-6 and IL-2 in 19 patients with malignant melanoma and renal cell carcinoma undergoing subcutaneous administration of IL-2. Our results suggest that humoral immunity is only marginally involved; however, the parameter variations observed suggest that further studies are necessary.
Immunotherapy represents a promising biological approach to cancer treatment. Important haemato-immunological modifications during rIL-2 treatment have been demonstrated in all patients treated, independently of the schedule and mode of rIL-2 administration. Generally, there is a lack of correlation between treatment-related modifications and clinical response. rIL-2 cell-mediated responses have been extensively studied but the role of humoral immunity is still unclear. We evaluated the peripheral blood CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD25 lymphocyte subset modifications and serum levels of immunoglobulin, IL-6 and IL-2 in 19 patients with malignant melanoma and renal cell carcinoma undergoing subcutaneous administration of IL-2. Our results suggest that humoral immunity is only marginally involved; however, the parameter variations observed suggest that further studies are necessary.

