INFUSION OF IN-VITRO EXPANDED TUMOR-INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES AND RECOMBINANT INTERLEUKIN-2 IN PATIENTS WITH SURGICALLY RESECTED LYMPH-NODE METASTASES OF MALIGNANT-MELANOMA - A PILOT-STUDY

A pilot study was set up in order to evaluate the feasibility and safe ty of infusing in vitro expanded tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs ) and recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in a group of patients with ad vanced melanoma after radical resection of lymph node metastases. Twen ty-four patients were eligible for the study and proliferating TILs we re collected in 16. These patients were infused with TILs and then tre ated with rIL-2 and alpha-interferon. Short-term toxic effects (such a s fever) were in general controlled by symptomatic drugs, whereas chro nic toxicities were absent. The median follow-up period was 19 months; at present, 13 patients are alive and disease free, one patient is in progression and two patients have died. The approach was feasible and safe and the clinical results observed are comparable to those obtain ed by long-term treatment with other biological response modifiers. (C ) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.