Interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer

  • Authors:
    • Francesco Recchia
    • Gaetano Saggio
    • Alisia Cesta
    • Giampiero Candeloro
    • Antonio Nuzzo
    • Marco Lombardo
    • Gaspare Carta
    • Silvio Rea
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 1, 2005     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.27.4.1039
  • Pages: 1039-1046
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Abstract

The primary objective was to assess whether low-dose Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) could decrease serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and improve the immune function of patients with advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) responsive to chemotherapy. The secondary end-point was to compare the response of these patients with that of a group of control patients, treated with standard care. Forty-four patients with AOC, responding to chemotherapy and with elevated serum levels of VEGF, were entered into the study from 04/98 to 12/02. After chemotherapy, patients received self-administered subcutaneous IL-2, 1.8x106 IU and oral RA, 0.5 mg/kg for 5 days/week for 2 consecutive cycles of 3 weeks, with a 1-week rest, for 1 year and with intermittent schedules for up to 5 years. Eighty-two well-matched controls were selected from a large cohort of patients of similar disease status, treated with standard therapies. A statistically significant decrease of VEGF was observed amongst the 44 evaluable patients. Lymphocyte NK counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratio improved with respect to both baseline values and controls. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) curves showed a statistically significant improvement in IL-2/RA-treated patients. These preliminary data show that, after chemotherapy for AOC, the administration of low-dose subcutaneous IL-2 and oral RA is feasible, has low toxicity, is cost-effective and improves both PFS and OS.

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October 2005
Volume 27 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Recchia F, Saggio G, Cesta A, Candeloro G, Nuzzo A, Lombardo M, Carta G and Rea S: Interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer. Int J Oncol 27: 1039-1046, 2005.
APA
Recchia, F., Saggio, G., Cesta, A., Candeloro, G., Nuzzo, A., Lombardo, M. ... Rea, S. (2005). Interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer. International Journal of Oncology, 27, 1039-1046. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.27.4.1039
MLA
Recchia, F., Saggio, G., Cesta, A., Candeloro, G., Nuzzo, A., Lombardo, M., Carta, G., Rea, S."Interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer". International Journal of Oncology 27.4 (2005): 1039-1046.
Chicago
Recchia, F., Saggio, G., Cesta, A., Candeloro, G., Nuzzo, A., Lombardo, M., Carta, G., Rea, S."Interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer". International Journal of Oncology 27, no. 4 (2005): 1039-1046. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.27.4.1039