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Interferon Alfa-2b Three Times Daily and Thalidomide in the Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Micaela Hernberg, Pekka Virkkunen, Petri Bono, Henna Ahtinen, Hanna Mäenpää, Heikki Joensuu

From the Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Address reprint requests to Micaela Hernberg, MD, PhD, Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, PO Box 180, FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland; e-mail: micaela.hernberg{at}hus.fi.

Purpose: The antiangiogenic effect of interferon (IFN) may improve with frequent dosing and by combination with other agents with antiangiogenic activity. To evaluate this potential, we treated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with frequently dosed IFN and thalidomide.

Patients and Methods: Thirty patients were given IFN--2b 0.9 MU subcutaneously three times daily for 1 month and subsequently 1.2 MU tid unless serious toxicity was encountered. Thalidomide was first given 100 mg/d for 1 week and 300 mg/d thereafter. Sera were collected before and during treatment for serum vascular endothelial growth factor (S-VEGF) analyses performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The intention-to-treat response rate was 20% (95% CI, 6% to 34%) and response rate for assessable patients (n = 27) was 22% (95% CI, 6% to 38%). All responses were partial. In addition, 17 patients (63%; 95% CI, 45% to 81%) had stable disease for 3 months or longer. The median time to treatment failure was 7.7 months, and median survival time was 14.9 months. The most common cause of thalidomide discontinuation was neuropathy. S-VEGF levels decreased more in patients who responded to therapy compared with those in patients whose condition had stabilized or who had progressive disease (P = .036).

Conclusion: The combination of frequently dosed IFN--2b and low-dose thalidomide is feasible and active in advanced RCC, but the clinical benefit may remain small compared with that of IFN alone. Results from an ongoing phase III trial comparing IFN- with or without thalidomide need to be analyzed before this combination can be recommended for use outside clinical studies.

Supported by grants from the Cancer Society of Finland, and Research Funds of the Helsinki University Central Hospital.

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