Case management of the hospitalized patient receiving interleukin-2

Patients receiving intermediate-dose CI rIL-2 therapy require hospitalization for assessment and management of the potentially severe side effects, primarily those involved with cardiopulmonary and renal toxicities. Once the tolerable dose level has been identified for a particular patient, the severity of the side effects on subsequent cycles of therapy may decrease. During therapy, nursing management includes interventions to minimize distressing side effects such as fever, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, anorexia, and pruritus. Because the side effects of rIL-2 therapy are predictable, nurses can focus on early detection of these side effects and institute prompt interventions to reduce, minimize, or eliminate the symptoms. As oncology nurses prepare to care for hospitalized patients receiving rIL-2, a knowledge of the agent's side effect profile provides the foundation on which to base nursing practice.