LOCAL INTERFERON THERAPY FOR LIP CARCINOMA

In a prospective non-randomized study 21 patients with lower lip squam ous cell carcinoma were treated with human natural leukocyte interfero n (HNLI). The response rate was measured by a size reduction of more t han 25% and was 81%. A complete response rate was considered to be a c ure according to histopathological and clinical findings and was 48%. The response rate of six lower lip squamous cell carcinoma cases treat ed with recombinant interferon alpha 2c was 67% and the complete respo nse rate was 17%. Three patients with basal cell carcinoma of the uppe r lip were also treated with HNLI. All three patients were cured, as d etermined by histopathological and clinical findings. These findings i ndicate that interferon can be a useful alternative therapy for lip ca rcinoma either with or without surgery.