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Improved survival with perilymphatic interleukin 2 in patients with resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx
Author(s) -
De Stefani Antonella,
Forni Guido,
Ragona Riccardo,
Cavallo Giovanni,
Bussi Mario,
Usai Antonio,
Badellino Fausto,
Cortesina Giorgio
Publication year - 2002
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/cncr.10654
Subject(s) - medicine , basal cell , oral cavity , carcinoma , oncology , dentistry
BACKGROUND The current randomized, multicenter, Phase III trial was conducted to determine whether the disease free interval and overall survival of patients with T2–T4,N0–N3,M0 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity or oropharynx could be extended through the combination of surgery (and radiotherapy, if required) with perilymphatic recombinant IL‐2 (rIL‐2). METHODS Patients with a resectable T2–T4,N0–N3,M0 SCC of the oral cavity and oropharynx were assigned randomly to receive surgery and radiotherapy or to receive IL‐2, surgery, and radiotherapy. Five thousand units of rIL‐2 were injected around the ipsilateral cervical lymph node chain daily for 10 days before surgery. After surgery, contralateral 5‐day rIL‐2 courses were administered monthly for 1 year. The differences in disease free and overall survival between the two groups of patients were evaluated statistically. RESULTS Two hundred two patients finished the study. No significant complications related to rIL‐2 were encountered, and surgery and radiotherapy were not hampered by its prior administration. Multivariate analysis conducted to determine the extent to which survival was influenced by rIL‐2 and the other variables showed that rIL‐2 significantly lengthened disease free survival ( P < 0.01) and that this resulted in longer overall survival ( P < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The data emerging from this trial indicate that perilymphatic administration of low, nontoxic doses of rIL‐2 is a simple and manageable way to delay recurrences of SCC. Cancer 2002;95:90–7. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10654