[Treatment of advanced cancer of the urinary tract with interleukin-2 (IL-2)]

Eight patients with advanced cancer of the urinary tract were treated with recombinant interleukin-2(IL-2) at our department between December, 1985 and September, 1987. Patients were given 5 x 10(5)-4 x 10(6) units of IL-2 by intravenous drip infusion daily. One of five patients who received IL-2 for over 28 days showed 62% regression in size of hepatic metastasis of bladder cancer on computed tomography and another showed marked improvement of Performance Status. The upward tendency of natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer activity of peripheral blood was observed during treatment. Fever, mental disturbance, hypotension and eosinophilia and others were recognized during administration of IL-2, and cardiac failure and disturbance of renal function were also recognized as severe side effect.