Recombinant human interleukin 6 in metastatic renal cell cancer: a phase II trial

• Published in: British journal of cancer 1996-03, Vol.73 (6), p.789-793
• Main Authors: Stouthard, JML, Goey, H, de Vries, EGE, de Mulder, PH, Groenewegen, A, Pronk, L, Stoter, G, Sauerwein, HP, Bakker, PJM, Veenhof, CHN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Reaction - chemically induced; Anemia - chemically induced; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - blood; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - immunology; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; experimental-oncology; Female; Hemoglobins - drug effects; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Humans; Immunotherapy; Interleukin-6 - adverse effects; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Interleukin-6 - therapeutic use; Kidney Neoplasms - blood; Kidney Neoplasms - drug therapy; Kidney Neoplasms - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Molecular Medicine; Oncology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Recombinant Proteins - adverse effects; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1996.137

A phase II trial investigating the anti-tumour effects of recombinant human interleukin 6 (rhIL-6) in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer was carried out. RhIL-6 (150 microgram) was administered as a daily subcutaneous injection for 42 consecutive days on an outpatient basis. Forty-nine patients were studied, 12 with and 37 without previous immunotherapy. Forty patients were evaluable for response. A partial remission was noted in two patients, stable disease in 17 and progressive disease in 21. Toxicity was moderate and reversible and consisted mainly of fever, flu-like symptoms, nausea, weight loss and hepatotoxicity. Anaemia, leucocytosis and thrombocytosis and induction of acute phase protein synthesis were noted in most patients. In 15% of the patients anti-IL-6 antibodies developed, and were neutralising in only one patient. Baseline plasma IL-6 concentrations did not correlate with tumour behaviour before or after rhIL-6 treatment. In conclusion, rhIL-6 can be safely administered on an outpatient basis for prolonged period of time and has moderate, reversible toxicity. Its administration induces IL-6-antibody production in only a minority of patients. Antitmour effects of rhIL-6 in metastatic renal cancer are limited.