THE EFFECT OF 5-FLUOROURACIL AND ALPHA-INTERFERON AND 5-FLUOROURACIL AND LEUCOVORIN ON CELLULAR ANTITUMOR IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN PATIENTS WITHADVANCED COLORECTAL-CANCER

Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) enhances the activity of 5-fluorouracil ( 5-FU) in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer although the mech anism is not understood. We have investigated the effect of this combi nation on cellular immunity and compared this with standard therapy of 5-FU/L-leucovorin, in 24 patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Th is study has demonstrated an enhancement of the cellular immune respon se in patients given 5-FU/IFN-alpha with augmentation of natural kille r (NK) cell function and abrogation of 5-FU-induced suppression of lym phokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity.