Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
INTERFERON ALPHA-N1 WELLFERON IN KAPOSI'S SARCOMA: SINGLE AGENT OR COMBINATION WITH VINBLASTINE
The Biology of the Interferon System 1986. Cantell K, Schellekens H, eds. Boston, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, p. 355-62, 1987.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/88638679 Fischl MA; Gorowski E; Koch G; Lucas LS; Richman S; Fletcher MA; No affiliation given
Abstract:
Sixty-four men (median age 31.0 yr; range 23-55 yr) with biopsy-proven Kaposi's sarcoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were treated with either human lymphoblastoid interferon alone (IFN [Wellferon]: Stage I, II, or IIa disease) or IFN + vinblastine (VBL: Stage IIIb or IV disease). IFN was given im at a dose of 20 million units (MU)/m2 once daily for 8 wk after a 3-day escalation regime. VBL was given iv at 5 mg/m2 once daily every 2 wk for 8 wk. Patients achieving a complete response (CR) after 8 wk were placed on maintenance therapy, whereas those achieving less than CR without progressive disease received consolidation therapy. For consolidation, IFN was administered im at 20 MU/m2 once daily 3x/wk and VBL was administered iv at 5 mg/m2 once daily every 2 wk for 8 wk. Maintenance therapy consisted of im IFN 10 MU/m2 once daily, 3x/wk for 24 wk; VBL was administered iv at 5 mg/m2 once daily every 3 wk for a total of 24 wk. One patient had CR after 8 wk, 6 had partial response (PR), and 10 had progressive disease; after 20 wk of therapy, 5 had CR, 14 PR, and 19 had progressive disease, for an overall tumor response of 32%. Remission durations ranged from 1-16 mo (median 8 mo). Patients with a PR had unmaintained remission durations of less than 1-4 mo (median 1.2 mo), whereas patients with CR had unmaintained remission durations of 12-16 mo (median 14 mo). IFN alone and in combination with VBL appears to have activity in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Although combination therapy appears as effective or perhaps slightly better than IFN alone, combination therapy was limited secondary to myelosuppression, and the possibility of lowering the doses of VBL or the use of other cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents should be considered. Immunologic studies and adverse reactions are also described. (13 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*THERAPY Adult Combined Modality Therapy Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Drug Evaluation Human Interferon Type I/ADVERSE EFFECTS/*THERAPEUTIC USE Male Middle Age Neoplasm Staging Recombinant Proteins/ADVERSE EFFECTS/*THERAPEUTIC USE Sarcoma, Kaposi's/PATHOLOGY/*THERAPY Vinblastine/*THERAPEUTIC USE MEETING PAPER
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
