Randomized phase III trial of treatment with high-dose interleukin-2 either alone or in combination with interferon alfa-2a in patients with advanced melanoma.

1993 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1969-1977 ◽  
Author(s):  
J A Sparano ◽  
R I Fisher ◽  
M Sunderland ◽  
K Margolin ◽  
M L Ernest ◽  
...  

PURPOSE To compare the response rate, survival, and toxicity of treatment with high-dose intravenous (IV) bolus interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus interferon alfa-2a (IFN-alpha) with high-dose IL-2 alone in patients with advanced melanoma in a randomized phase III trial design. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eighty-five patients with advanced melanoma were randomly assigned to receive IL-2 6 X 10(6) U/m2 per dose every 8 hours as tolerated for a maximum of 14 doses on days 1 through 5 and 15 through 19, or IL-2 4.5 X 10(6) U/m2 per dose, plus IFN-alpha 3 X 10(6) U/m2 using an identical schedule. A planned interim analysis was performed after 85 patients were entered, which forms the basis for this report. RESULTS Partial response (PR) occurred in two of 44 patients (5%; 95% confidence interval, 1% to 15%) receiving IL-2 alone, compared with four of 41 patients (10%; 95% confidence interval, 3% to 23%) receiving IL-2/IFN-alpha (P = .30). There were no complete responses (CRs). The median duration of response was 11.5 months (range, 2.0 to 15.7+). There was no significant difference in the median survival duration for patients receiving IL-2 alone (10.2 months) compared with patients receiving IL-2/IFN-alpha (9.7 months). The median and mean number of doses of IL-2 were equivalent in both groups, as was toxicity. There were three treatment-related deaths, two in the IL-2-alone arm and one in the IL-2/IFN-alpha arm. The trial was terminated after the first interim analysis based on predefined early-stopping rules, which included termination if the response rate in the IL-2/IFN-alpha arm was less than 25%. CONCLUSION Using the preparation, dose, and schedule of IL-2 in our trial, IFN-alpha failed to enhance significantly the response rate to high-dose IL-2 in the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma.

1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 2579-2588 ◽  
Author(s):  
U Keilholz ◽  
S H Goey ◽  
C J Punt ◽  
T M Proebstle ◽  
R Salzmann ◽  
...  

PURPOSE The combination of interferon alfa-2a (IFN alpha) and high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is active in metastatic melanoma. The addition of cisplatin (CDDP) has resulted in response rates greater than 50%. This study was performed to determine whether the addition of CDDP to a cytokine treatment regimen with IFN alpha and high-dose IL-2 influences survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced metastatic melanoma were randomly assigned to receive treatment with IFN alpha 10 x 10(6) U/m2 subcutaneously on days 1 through 5 and a high-dose intravenous decrescendo regimen of IL-2 on days 3 through 8 (18 mIU/ m2/6 hours, 18 mIU/m2/12 hours, 18 mIU/m2/24 hours, and 4.5 mIU/m2/24 hours x 3) without (arm A) or with (arm B) CDDP 100 mg/m2 on day 1. Treatment cycles were repeated every 28 days to a maximum of four cycles. RESULTS One hundred thirty-eight patients with advanced metastatic melanoma, of whom 87% had visceral metastases, were accrued for the trial. Both regimens were feasible in a multicenter setting. The objective response rate was 18% without and 33% with CDDP (P = .04). The progression-free survival was 53 days without and 92 days with CDDP (P = .02, Wilcoxon; P = .09, log-rank). There was no statistically significant difference in survival between treatment arms, with a median overall survival duration for all patients of 9 months. CONCLUSION The addition of CDDP to cytokine treatment with IFN alpha and IL-2 does not influence survival of patients with advanced metastatic melanoma, despite a significant increase in response rate and progression-free survival.


2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1600-1607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruggero Ridolfi ◽  
Vanna Chiarion-Sileni ◽  
Michele Guida ◽  
Antonella Romanini ◽  
Roberto Labianca ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: Phase II and III studies have shown that the addition of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon alfa-2b (IFNα-2b) in multiagent chemotherapy (CT) for advanced melanoma increases overall response (OR), albeit without clear evidence of an improvement in overall survival (OS). Treatment with high-dose IL-2 can cause severe toxicity and is normally administered in an inpatient setting. We conducted a multicenter prospective randomized clinical trial in outpatients with metastatic melanoma to compare CT with biochemotherapy (bioCT) using immunomodulant doses of IL-2 and IFNα-2b. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-six eligible patients with advanced melanoma were randomized to receive CT (cisplatin and dacarbazine with or without carmustine every 21 days) or bioCT comprising the same CT regimen followed by low-dose subcutaneous IL-2 for 8 days and IFNα2b three times a week, both for six cycles. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 18 (CT) and 16 (bioCT) months, median OS was 9.5 versus 11.0 months (P = .51), respectively. In the 89 CT-arm patients, 18 ORs (20.2%) (three complete responders [CRs] and 15 partial responders [PRs]) were observed according to World Health Organization criteria. In the 87 bioCT-arm patients, 22 ORs (25.3%) (three CRs and 19 PRs) (P = .70) were recorded. Treatment-related toxicity was fairly similar in both arms. CONCLUSION: The addition of low-dose immunotherapy did not produce a statistically significant advantage in OS, time to progression, or OR. However, the 11-month median OS in the bioCT arm does not differ greatly from the best results with high-dose IL-2–containing regimens reported in the literature. Furthermore, our treatment schedule was carried out on outpatients and had an acceptable level of toxicity.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (27) ◽  
pp. 6747-6755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Keilholz ◽  
Cornelis J.A. Punt ◽  
Martin Gore ◽  
Wim Kruit ◽  
Poulam Patel ◽  
...  

Background Based on phase II trial results, chemoimmunotherapy combinations have become the preferred treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma in many institutions. This study was performed to determine whether interleukin-2 (IL-2) as a component of chemoimmunotherapy influences survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. Patients and Methods Patients with advanced metastatic melanoma were randomly assigned to receive dacarbazine 250 mg/m2 and cisplatin 30 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3 combined with interferon-alfa-2b 10 × 106 U/m2 subcutaneously on days 1 through 5 without (arm A) or with (arm B) a high-dose intravenous decrescendo regimen of IL-2 on days 5 through 10 (18 × 106 U/m2/6 hours, 18 × 106 U/m2/12 hours, 18 × 106 U/m2/24 hours, and 4.5 × 106 U/m2 for 3 × 24 hours). Treatment cycles were repeated in the absence of disease progression every 28 days to a maximum of four cycles. Results Three hundred sixty-three patients with advanced metastatic melanoma were accrued. The median survival was 9 months in both arms, with a 2-year survival rate of 12.9% and 17.6% in arms A and B, respectively (P = .32; hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.11). There was also no statistically significant difference regarding progression-free survival (median, 3.0 v 3.9 months) and response rate (22.8% v 20.8%). Conclusion Despite its activity in melanoma as a single agent or in combination with interferon-alfa-2b, the chosen schedule of IL-2 added to the chemoimmunotherapy combination had no clinically relevant activity.


2002 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-12
Author(s):  
Ken-ryu Han ◽  
Allan J. Pantuck ◽  
Arie S. Belldegrun

1995 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1110-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
F M Marincola ◽  
D E White ◽  
A P Wise ◽  
S A Rosenberg

PURPOSE Here we report the long-term follow-up evaluation of a phase I/II study of toxicity and response of combination interferon alfa-2a (IFN alpha) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in patients with metastatic cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS From November 1987 through October 1990, 189 patients were treated with 379 courses. IFN alpha (3 x 10(6) U/m2) was administered three times per day as an intravenous (IV) bolus with IV IL-2 2.6 x 10(6) IU/m2 (six patients, group 1), 7.8 x 10(6) IU/m2 (32 patients, group 2), or 11.7 x 10(6) IU/m2 (26 patients, group 3). Subsequently, IFN alpha dose was escalated to 6 x 10(6) U/m2 plus IL-2 11.7 x 10(6) IU/m2 (22 patients, group 4). Two further dosage schedules of IL-2 were tested at 7.8 x 10(6) IU/m2 (29 patients, group 5) and 15.6 x 10(6) IU/m2 (74 patients, group 6); however, because of IFN alpha-related toxicity, these two groups received IFN alpha once per day (6 x 10(6) U/m2). A treatment course consisted of two cycles (maximum, 15 doses per cycle) separated by a 10-day interval. RESULTS All patients were assessable for response: 82 patients had melanoma, 75 renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and 16 colorectal cancer. There were two treatment-related deaths. The objective response rate was 23% (43 patients). Response rates were 17%, 19%, 19%, 32%, 41%, and 16%, respectively, for groups 1 through 6. Ten responses are still ongoing (nine in RCC patients) at 57 to 74 months, and 21 patients are alive, for an overall 5-year survival rate of 11%. The median potential follow-up period was 65 months. Although a significantly higher response rate was noted for group 4 (highest dose of IFN alpha three times per day), no benefit for survival and increased toxicity were noted in this group. CONCLUSION Based on these findings, we conclude that further studies of this combination treatment are not warranted.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 2292-2298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Sosman ◽  
Carole Carrillo ◽  
Walter J. Urba ◽  
Lawrence Flaherty ◽  
Michael B. Atkins ◽  
...  

Purpose High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) induces responses in 15% to 20% of patients with advanced melanoma; 5% to 8% are durable complete responses (CRs). The HLA-A2–restricted, modified gp100 peptide (210M) induces T-cell immunity in vivo and has little antitumor activity but, combined with high-dose IL-2, reportedly has a 42% (13 of 31 patients) response rate (RR). We evaluated 210M with one of three different IL-2 schedules to determine whether a basis exists for a phase III trial. Patients and Methods In three separate phase II trials, patients with melanoma received 210M subcutaneously during weeks 1, 4, 7, and 10 and standard high-dose IL-2 during weeks 1 and 3 (trial 1), weeks 7 and 9 (trial 2), or weeks 1, 4, 7, and 10 (trial 3). Immune assays were performed on peripheral-blood mononuclear cells collected before and after treatment. Results From 1998 to 2003, 131 patients with HLA-A2–positive were enrolled. With 60-month median follow-up time, the overall RR for 121 assessable patients was 16.5% (95% CI, 10% to 26%); the RRs were 23.8% in trial 1 (42 patients), 12.5% in trial 2 (40 patients), and 12.8% in trial 3 (39 patients). There were 11 CRs (9%) and nine partial responses (7%), with 11 patients (9%) progression free at ≥ 30 months. Immune studies including assays of CD3-ζ expression and numbers of CD4+/CD25+/FoxP3+ regulatory T cells, CD15+/CD11b+/CD14– immature myeloid-derived cells, and CD8+gp100 tetramer-positive cells in the blood did not correlate with clinical benefit. Conclusion The results again demonstrate efficacy of high-dose IL-2 in advanced melanoma but did not demonstrate the promising clinical activity reported with vaccine and high-dose IL-2 in any of three phase II trials.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 157-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Kolitz ◽  
Vera Hars ◽  
Daniel J. DeAngelo ◽  
Steven L. Allen ◽  
Thomas C. Shea ◽  
...  

Abstract The CALGB evaluated the use of rIL-2 for immunotherapy of minimal residual disease in a phase III trial in patients with AML in first CR after completing all planned chemotherapy. The rationale supporting the use of rIL-2 in this setting includes its ability to effect antigen-independent cytotoxicity against AML blasts, its non-cross resistance with cytotoxic agents, and its ability to expand cytotoxic T and natural killer (NK) cells. Pts < 60 years with untreated non-M3 AML were eligible. 734 patients were enrolled. The first 302 patients were randomized between 2 induction regimens: Ara-C, Daunorubicin, and Etoposide (ADE) or ADEP with the P-glycoprotein modulator PSC-833 (Kolitz et al, ASH 2005). The remaining 432 patients received ADE induction. Post-remission therapy was based on cytogenetic risk factors: patients with Core Binding Factor (CBF) AML received 3 courses of High-Dose Ara-C (HiDAC), while all others were assigned to receive a 2 step autologous transplant (ASCT) regimen (Linker et al, Biol Blood Marrow Transpl 2000). Randomization between rIL-2 and observation was to occur no later than 120 days after day 1 of the last HiDAC cycle or day 0 of ASCT, as soon as the neutrophil count > 750/μl, platelets > 50,000/μl with bone marrow showing a leukemia-free state and trilineage maturation and recovery from non-hematological toxicity to < grade 2. The 90 day immunotherapy regimen consisted of low-dose rIL-2 sequences for expanding cytotoxic effector cells and brief, higher dose bolus treatments aimed at activating them. rIL-2 was given SC at 1 x 106 IU/m2 on days 1–14, 19–28, 33–42, 47–56, 61–70 and 75–90, and 12–15 x 106 IU/m2 on days 15–17, 29–31, 43–45, 57–59 and 71–73. CR was achieved in 77% of evaluable patients. After HiDAC consolidation or ASCT, patient refusal, early relapse, and delayed blood count recovery accounted for nearly all failures to undergo randomization to IL-2 or observation. The distribution of patients with CBF and non-CBF AML was comparable between the randomized arms. The median follow-up time from the post-remission randomization date for the surviving patients is 29 months. By intention-to-treat, for the 214 randomized patients, the 3-year disease-free survival rate is 45% (95% CI: 35%, 56%) on the observation arm and 56% (47%, 67%) on the rIL-2 arm (p=0.11; logrank test); the 3-year overall survival rate is 61% (52%, 72%) for patients randomized to observation and 68% (58%, 79%) for the rIL-2 arm (p=.0.09). Twenty-nine of the 107 patients randomized to rIL-2 therapy either refused to receive rIL-2 or were unable to start because of unresolved toxicities; another 28 patients started treatment but failed to complete their 90-day course. Grade 4 toxicities were neutropenia (17%), thrombocytopenia (11%), febrile neutropenia (FN, 1%), increased bilirubin (1%) and hypocalcemia (1%). Grade 3 toxicities, observed in 10%–14% of patients, were hypotension, fatigue, dehydration and FN. We conclude that post-consolidation immunotherapy with 90 days of rIL-2 is tolerable but not well accepted by patients and/or physicians. Further follow-up and additional analyses are planned, correlating outcomes with clinical subsets, amount of rIL-2 therapy received, as well as measurements of ex vivo cytotoxicity mediated by patients’ effector cells against cryopreserved autologous AML blasts.


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