Interferon alpha-2b and megestrol acetate in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: a phase II study

Interferon-alpha has been used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma, and megestrol acetate has been shown to improve the quality of life of patients who have cancer. We combined interferon alpha-2b, 10 million IU/m2 subcutaneously 5 consecutive days per week, with megestrol acetate, 80 mg orally twice a day, in 15 patients who had advanced renal cell carcinoma. Only 6 (40%) had a prior nephrectomy, and most had disease in the lung and other sites. There were no complete or partial responders to this treatment, although stable disease was achieved in 5 (33%) patients. The treatment was excessively toxic, with 12 (86%) patients requiring dose modification or discontinuation of treatment due to fatigue. We conclude that interferon alpha-2b and megestrol acetate is an excessively toxic, inactive regimen, at least in a group of patients who have advanced disease with a poor prognosis.