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Treatment of advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma with a combination of recombinant interferon α‐2b and octreotide
Author(s) -
Lupoli Giovanni,
Cascone Edvige,
Arlotta Francesco,
Vitale Giovanni,
Celentano Luigi,
Salvatore Marco,
Lombardi Gaetano
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19960901)78:5<1114::aid-cncr23>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - medicine , octreotide , calcitonin , carcinoembryonic antigen , medullary thyroid cancer , gastroenterology , chemotherapy , diarrhea , somatostatin , urology , thyroid carcinoma , thyroid , cancer
BACKGROUND The medical treatment of advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is still questionable. Results of chemotherapy are disappointing with almost no curative responses, few partial responses, and many side‐effects. A recent report has suggested the activity of combination recombinant interferon α‐2b (rIFN‐α‐2b) and octreotide, a somatostatin analogue, in the treatment of a metastatic carcinoid tumor. This new therapeutic schedule may be used in other neuroendocrine tumors. In this study we evaluated the therapeutic effectiveness of octreotide and rIFN‐α‐2b in patients with advanced MTC. METHODS Eight patients affected by advanced MTC received octreotide at a daily dose of 150 μg for 6 months and subsequently at a daily dose of 300 μg for another 6 months, subcutaneously, and rIFN‐α‐2b at a daily dose of 5.000.000 IU intramuscularly 3 times a week for 12 months. Plasma calcitonin, carcinoembryonic antigenic levels, and morphologic staging were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS The therapy was stopped in two patients because of diarrhea and toxicity of drugs used. Pre‐existing diarrhea in four patients and flushing in one significantly improved during treatment. A maximum decrease of calcitonin was reached after 1 month in 2 patients and after 3 months in 4. In all of the patients carcinoembryonic antigen levels decreased during treatment. No significant changes of size of metastases were observed. CONCLUSIONS The combination of octreotide and interferon is well tolerated and can be recommended for the treatment of advanced MTC. Cancer 1996;78:1114‐8.