Continuous Infusion Interleukin-2 and Intravenous Famotidine in Metastatic Melanoma

Abstract

Lymphokine-activated killer cell (LAK) cytotoxicity against tumor cells is induced by the use of high-dose infusional interleukin-2 (IL-2). LAK cytotoxicity against neoplastic cells may be augmented by famotidine. Twelve (12) patients have been treated with continuous infusion IL-2 (18 MIU/m2/24 hours) for 72 hours and famotidine 20 mg IVPB twice per day. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. These patients were of median age--67 years (range, 25-79), had a median performance status of 1 (range, 0-1), and had metastatic sites, including lung, lymph node, subcutaneous/soft tissue, and liver. The most common toxicities of this regimen were fever, rigors, nausea/emesis, hypophosphatemia, and hypomagnesemia. Three (3) partial responses have been seen (25% response rate). One (1) of these responders has undergone complete surgical resection and is disease-free at 15+ months. Four (4) patients are alive at a median of > 25 months. The median survival for all patients is 13 months. This combination of infusional IL-2 with famotidine is active in metastatic melanoma.

Outpatient Intravenous Interleukin-2 with Famotidine Has Activity in Metastatic Melanoma

“…Our group has previously described that 25% of patients treated with continuous infusion IL-2 plus famotidine survived at least 24 months. 26 …”

Histamine in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Current status and new perspectives

“…twice a day). Even though the results of one study show that 25% of the patients (4) treated with the combination survived at least 20 months, 260,261 the mean survival of this and other regimens was 7–13 months 262–265 . Another study performed with 241 patients shows that the treatment with HDC/IL‐2/IFNα was safely administered on an outpatient basis (3 MIU IFNα s.c., once daily for 7 days, 2.4 MIU/m 2 IL‐2 s.c., twice a day for 5 days, and 1 mg HDC s.c., twice a day for 5 days or dacarbazine 850 mg/m i.v.…”