Abstract | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The clinical and immunologic activities of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in cancer patients have been extensively studied and described; however, in most of these studies, IL-2 was administered by intravenous bolus or continuous infusion, while the immunologic effects of IL-2 given by the subcutaneous (s.c.) route have not yet been well studied. DESIGN AND METHODS: The present study was aimed at evaluating the effects of IL-2, given at very low doses s.c. to patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), on a number of immunologic parameters: number of total lymphocytes, number of CD4-, CD8-, CD25-positive cells, number of natural killer (NK) cells, titers of IL-2 soluble receptor (sIL-2R) and of C4, eosinophils, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophilic protein X (EPX). Finally, a logistic regression model was performed to identify early immunologic parameters that correlate with a favorable or unfavorable treatment outcome. RESULTS: Independently from the mere report of the changes induced by immunotherapy, the analysis showed that, within the pre-treatment model, a large eosinophil number predicts the failure of IL-2 treatment; in contrast, within the post-treatment model, high C4 serum titers and, again, a large number of circulating eosinophils predict immunotherapy failure. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: As far as concerns C4, its negative predictive value could be related to the fact that it is an indirect index of macrophage activation; thus, even though macrophages release substances with antitumor activity, they can also stimulate the release of sIL-2R, which may compete for exogenous IL-2. Some authors have postulated that macrophages may even stimulate tumor cell growth, or impair NK activity. Despite a great amount of uncertainty concerning the role of eosinophils, in our study, blood eosinophilia predicts a poor response to immunotherapy in patients with advanced RCC, thus supporting previous observations from our own group.
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Authors | M Moroni, C Porta, M De Amici, S Quaglini, M A Cattabiani, C Buzio |
Journal | Haematologica
(Haematologica)
Vol. 85
Issue 3
Pg. 298-303
(Mar 2000)
ISSN: 0390-6078 [Print] Italy |
PMID | 10702820
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Complement C4
- Interleukin-2
- Receptors, Interleukin-2
- Interferons
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Topics |
- Adult
- Aged
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell
(diagnosis, drug therapy)
- Complement C4
(metabolism)
- Eosinophils
(cytology)
- Female
- Humans
- Immunotherapy
- Injections, Subcutaneous
- Interferons
(administration & dosage, blood)
- Interleukin-2
(administration & dosage, blood)
- Kidney Neoplasms
(diagnosis, drug therapy)
- Logistic Models
- Lymphocytes
(cytology)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prognosis
- Receptors, Interleukin-2
(blood)
- Solubility
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets
(cytology)
- Treatment Outcome
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