Specific immunotherapy of advanced renal carcinoma: evidence for the polyclonality of metastases

Autologous, irradiated (10,000 rads) tumor cells mixed with C. parvum were given weekly to 14 patients with metastatic renal carcinoma. The tumor tissue had been cryopreserved with DMSO. No significant toxicity was produced. Four patients underwent objective responses, and a fifth had prolonged stabilization (27+ months). Varying responses occurred simultaneously in different metastatic lesions within the same patient. Responding patients usually had an excellent ambulatory status and received greater than 20 x 10(7) tumor cells.