[Intracavitary administration of recombinant interferon in cancer patients with malignant effusions]

Interferon-beta (IFN-beta), 6 X 10 units/body, was administered intraperitoneally and intrapericardially daily to five recurrent cancer patients with malignant effusion. Two of them showed complete response with a disappearance of effusion and cytological negative. However, three patients showing a decrease in effusion and cytological negative were regarded as no change because of the short duration of the response (less than four weeks). Intracavitary administrations of IFN-beta were well tolerated, and no serious side effects were observed. Autopsies showed that all intestines with disseminated metastasis maintained organic elasticity and had neither ileus-like construction nor progressive adhesions. IFN-beta showed not only anticancer effects on malignant effusion, but protection against GI tract constriction through moderate control of the growth of connective tissue.