[Clinical effects of human fibroblast interferon in advanced gynecological cancers]

Human fibroblast interferon (IFN-beta) was given 13 cases of advanced gynecological cancers. Eight patients, who were clinically evaluable, were reported as follows; Patients consisted of ovarian adenocarcinoma (5), cervical adenocarcinoma (1), endometrial carcinoma (1) and tubal carcinoma (1). Route of administration was intravenous in 5 cases and intratumorous in 3 cases. IFN-beta dose ranged from 2, 650 X 10(4) to 10, 620 X 10(4) units. Clinical effects according to Koyama - Saitoh 's category was progressive disease (PD) in 7 cases and minor response (MR) only in one case who received intratumorous injection for recurrent tumor mass of tubal carcinoma in vaginal stump. Side effects of IFN-beta were chill and fever, fatigue and anorexia, leucocyte--and thrombocyte-- penia and hepatic dysfunction, though they were mild in grade and not dose-limiting factors. No anti-IFN-beta-antibodies were detected in any cases.