INTERFERON AS ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR NONMETASTATIC RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Objective To investigate the effect of recombinant alpha 2b-interferon therapy on natural killer (NK) activity and antibody-dependent cell-m ediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the peripheral blood in patients with r enal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy. Patients an d methods Between January 1988 and June 1989, 20 patients (14 men and six women, mean age 59 years, range 43-80) received interferon (IFN) t herapy following radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. Thirtee n patients had stage I disease, one had stage II and six had stage III ; none had metastases. Results There was a significant increase in NK activity at 5 and 7 months after starting IFN therapy but there was no increase in ADCC. Conclusions Low doses of IFN administered long-term increased NK activity in patients with renal cell carcinoma. This fin ding should be helpful in designating protocols for randomized studies of post-operative IFN administration as adjuvant therapy.