Horning SJ, Merigan TC, Krown SE, Gutterman JU, Louie A, Gallagher J, McCravey J, Abramson J, Cabanillas F, Oettgen H. Human interferon alpha in malignant lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease. Results of the American Cancer Society trial.
Cancer 1985;
56:1305-10. [PMID:
4027869 DOI:
10.1002/1097-0142(19850915)56:6<1305::aid-cncr2820560614>3.0.co;2-n]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Forty-nine patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease were entered into a multi-institutional phase II trial to evaluate the antitumor activity of human interferon alpha, prepared from buffy coats. Interferon alpha was administered intramuscularly in doses of 1 X 10(6) u, 3 X 10(6) u or 9 X 10(6) u daily for 30 days. Objective partial responses were seen in 3 of 18 patients with nodular lymphoma, all at the 9 X 10(6) u dose. Interferon alpha was not observed to be of therapeutic benefit in the other subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease. The major toxicities consisted of fatigue, fever, myalgias and weight loss. Serum interferon levels obtained 3 to 4 hours after injection varied widely, even among patients treated at the same dose level. Despite the relatively low doses of interferon used and the brief period of administration, this study extends the earlier observations of the antitumor effect of interferon in nodular lymphoma. These results are discussed in relation to the cumulative experience in human lymphoma using alpha interferons induced in human leukocytes and those produced in bacteria by recombinant DNA techniques.
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