INTERLEUKIN-2 AND INTERFERON IN RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Renal cell cancer (RCC) represents an unusual solid tumor for which no treatment other than surgical therapy has been effective. This tumor demonstrates a remarkably heterogeneous behaviour and rare reports of spontaneous regressions suggest an unusual sensitivity to host immunol ogic control. In recent years the rapid development in molecular genet ics, growth factors and cytokine - lymphocyte interactions have increa sed the interest and possibilities for immunotherapy of RCC. Interleuk in-2 (IL-2) or Interferon alpha (IFNalpha) alone are only marginally a ctive in RCC. Their different modes of action and their synergistic ef fects when used in experimental murine models prompted the investigati on of combined IL-2/INFalpha therapy in advanced RCC. The advantage of a combination of IL-2 and IFNalpha treatment as compared to LAK cell treatment seems to be that IL-2 and IFNalpha can be given at lower dos ages without compromising the results in an outpatient setting. This a rticle reviews the use of IL-2 and IFNalpha in combination for treatme nt of RCC and discusses the current problems and future challenges in this field.