[Treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma with a combination of interferon alpha and gamma]

A total of 29 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma entered a pilot study of combination therapy with interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). IFN-alpha (HLBI: 3 x 10(6) IU, BALL 1:5 x 10(6) IU, IFN-alpha-2a: 9 x 10(6) IU or IFN-alpha-2b: 6 x 10(6) IU) was given intramuscularly every day and IFN-gamma (IFN-gamma-1a: 3 x 10(6) JRU) was given intravenously by drip infusion 3 times a week (every 2-3 days). The treatment was continued for 3 months as the induction therapy, and then the tumor response was evaluated. Of the 22 evaluable patients, 4 achieved a partial response (PR), 10 showed no change (NC), and in 8 the disease had progressed (PD) during the therapy. Thus, the overall response rate was 18.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-34.3%]. A favorable response tended to be obtained in patients with good performance status or small pulmonary metastases, or in those who had no prior therapy with IFN-alpha, who received this treatment immediately subsequent to radical nephrectomy, or who received IFN-gamma as much as possible according to this regimen. Toxicity was evaluated in 28 patients: fever, general fatigue, anorexia, leukocytopenia and impaired liver function were frequently noted, and 3 patients were withdrawn from the study because of such adverse effects. In patients who had a PR or NC, the same dosage of IFN-alpha was continued to be given intramuscularly 2-3 times a week (every 2-4 days) as the maintenance therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)