Subcutaneously administered recombinant human interleukin-2 and interferon alfa-2a for advanced breast cancer: A Phase II study of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB 9041) Journal Article


Authors: Kimmick, G.; Ratain, M. J.; Berry, D.; Woolf, S.; Norton, L.; Muss, H. B.
Article Title: Subcutaneously administered recombinant human interleukin-2 and interferon alfa-2a for advanced breast cancer: A Phase II study of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB 9041)
Abstract: New and more effective treatments are needed for metastatic breast cancer. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a combination of subcutaneously administered recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2), 1.5 MU/m2 for 5 consecutive days repeated for 3 weeks, and interferon alpha-2a (IFN), 7.5 MU/m2, administered subcutaneously three times per week. Women who had previously received 1-2 prior chemotherapy regimens for measurable inoperable, recurrent, or metastatic breast cancer were eligible. Of 40 patients accrued to the study, 32 were evaluable for response assessment. Toxicities were frequent but manageable. The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were lymphopenia (17%) and malaise/fatigue (24%). There were no complete responses, one partial response (3%), and six patients with stable disease (19%). Of the seven patients with partial response or stable disease, all had tumors that expressed hormone receptors. The median survival was 8.9 months and all patients have died. Good performance status was the most important predictor of survival. In this group of women with metastatic breast cancer, the overall prognosis was poor. This combination of rIL-2 and IFN was ineffective.
Keywords: adult; cancer survival; clinical article; aged; middle aged; survival rate; clinical trial; fatigue; diarrhea; drug efficacy; antineoplastic agents; neurotoxicity; anorexia; metastasis; infection; phase 2 clinical trial; breast cancer; gastrointestinal symptom; leukopenia; nausea; stomatitis; thrombocytopenia; vomiting; antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols; myalgia; breast neoplasms; arthralgia; chill; dyspnea; fever; lymphocytopenia; rash; hypotension; malaise; survival time; multicenter study; recombinant proteins; drug response; neoplasm metastasis; alpha2a interferon; hormone receptor; injections, subcutaneous; mood disorder; interleukin-2; recombinant interleukin 2; metastatic; hyperhidrosis; interferon alfa-2a; humans; prognosis; human; female; priority journal; article; interferon (ifn) alpha-2a; recombinant human interleukin-2 (ril-2)
Journal Title: Investigational New Drugs
Volume: 22
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0167-6997
Publisher: Springer  
Date Published: 2004-01-01
Start Page: 83
End Page: 89
Language: English
DOI: 10.1023/b:drug.0000006178.32718.22
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 14707498
DOI/URL:
Notes: Invest. New Drugs -- Cited By (since 1996):3 -- Export Date: 16 June 2014 -- CODEN: INNDD -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Larry Norton
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