EFFECTS OF INTERLEUKIN-1-ALPHA - ADMINISTRATION ON PITUITARY-ADRENAL AND PITUITARY-THYROID AXES FUNCTION OF PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN-CANCER

We monitored pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid function in 21 women who had recurrent ovarian cancer and who received interleukin-1 alpha (IL- 1 alpha) before and after carboplatin. Serum cortisol, corticotropin, thyroxine, and thyrotropin were measured in the morning before and at the end of each treatment cycle. Serum corticotropin levels were suppr essed in many patients despite a normal simultaneous serum cortisol; t hyrotropin tended to rise with declining thyroxine levels after prolon ged IL-1 alpha administration. However, serum cortisol and thyroxine r emained within the normal range at all times, in all patients. Thyroid dysfunction consistent with thyroiditis was seen in one patient. We c onclude that administration of IL-1 alpha as currently used in clinica l studies does not create significant thyroid or adrenocortical dysfun ction.