METASTATIC ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE ENDOMETRIUM TREATED WITH 13-CIS-RETINOIC ACID PLUS INTERFERON-ALPHA

Phase II trials of the novel biologic combination of 13-cis-retinoic a cid plus interferon (IFN)-alpha have achieved major activity in advanc ed squamous cell carcinomas of the skin and cervix, but not of the lun g or head and neck. Very limited study of this combination has occurre d in cancers other than those of squamous type. Although uncommon, cas es of unresectable or metastatic endometrial adenocarcinoma are virtua lly incurable, and chemotherapy has had no impact on survival in these cases. This report describes our use of 13-cis-retinoic acid plus IFN -alpha to treat a case of cisplatin- and hormone-resistant, locally ad vanced and distantly metastatic adenocarcinoma of the endometrium. In this worst-prognosis case, the biologic therapy achieved a major respo nse, which persisted for 4 months. Based on the dramatic activity in t his case, we believe that depthful mechanistic and clinical study of t his promising new biologic combination should be expanded to include n on-squamous tumors of many different sites and histopathologic types.