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Intrapleural immunotherapy with escalating doses of interleukin‐2 in metastatic pleural effusions
Author(s) -
Viallat J. R.,
Boutin C.,
Rey F.,
Astoul Ph,
Farisse P.,
Brandely M.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19930615)71:12<4067::aid-cncr2820711243>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , empyema , pleural effusion , effusion , anesthesia , gastroenterology
Background . The authors assessed the tolerance and efficacy of intrapleural interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) in patients with malignant effusion. Methods . Twenty‐three patients had a total of 25 metastatic pleural effusions; the patients were treated with recombinant IL‐2 by means of a continuous intrapleural infusion for 5 days. The daily dosage used in this Phase I/II trial initially was 3 × 10 6 IU/m 2 /day; the dosage was increased with every third patient, culminating in a dosage of 24 × 10 6 IU/m 2 /day. Results . One patient who had received the highest dosage died of renal failure on day 8. Ninety‐six percent of patients had Grade 2–3 fever, which was easily controlled with paracetamol administration. Two (8%) patients had pleural empyema. All other side effects were mild and resolved spontaneously by the end of treatment. The objective response rate was 21.7%. The five patients who responded to IL‐2 therapy were alive 7–24 months after treatment, and the survival rate of the whole group was 59% after 13 months. Conclusion . A daily dose of 10–24 × 10 6 IU/m 2 /day of IL‐2 administered intrapleurally gave response rates similar to those reported in the literature using the intravenous route, but a much lower morbidity rate was recorded.