Renal Cell Carcinoma: Antitumor Effects of Leukocyte Interferon 1

Part ia l ly pur i f ied human l eukocy te (~) in te r fe ron was adminis tered i.m. at a dose of 3 x 106 u n i t s / d a y to 1 9 pa t ien ts w i th metas ta t i c renal cell ca rc inoma. Five pa t ien ts ( 2 6 % ) s h o w e d part ia l responses ; two pa t ien ts ( 10 .5%) , ob jec t i ve minor responses ; three pa t ien ts (16%) , m ixed e f fec ts (ev idence of b io log ica l e f fect w i th reg ress ion of some les ions but concom i tant p rogress ion ) ; two pa t ien ts ( 10 .5%) , d i sease s tab i l i za t ion ; and seven pa t ien ts (37%) , p rog ress i ve d isease . All t umor res p o n s e s were seen in lung or medias t ina l metas tases . Tumor response s ign i f i can t l y co r re la ted wi th i n te r f e ron i nduced leukopen ia and g r a n u l o c y t o p e n i a and wi th p re t rea tmen t per fo rmance s tatus. An t i bod ies to in ter feron were found in one pat ien t pr ior to t rea tment . We c o n c l u d e d that in te r fe ron is a potent ia l ac t ive an t i t umor agent in pa t ien ts w i th renal cell ca rc inoma.