INTERLEUKINS AND CONTRASUPPRESSION INDUCE IMMUNE REGRESSION OF HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

Metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer was treated in four pati ents with low-dose cyclophosphamide (to reduce suppressor T-cell activ ity), indomethacin (to reduce prostaglandins that mediate macrophage-i nduced immune suppression), zinc (to augment T-cell function via thymu lin), and mixed natural interleukins perilymphatically in the neck (as adjuvant for tumor antigen in the region). Three patients responded w ithin 7 days with major tumor regressions progressive during the perio d of treatment and associated with increased infiltration with lymphoc ytes and tumor cell lysis. Two showed histologic features of intense d elayed hypersensitivity with granulomatous changes. The fourth patient was anergic and failed to respond clinically. Tumor-specific immune r esponse, despite preexisting immunodeficiency, is postulated as the me chanism of the responses in these patients.