THE USE OF ALPHA-INTERFERONS IN THE BIOTHERAPY OF CANCER NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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THE USE OF ALPHA-INTERFERONS IN THE BIOTHERAPY OF CANCER

Proceedings of the International Meeting on Recent Progress in Oncology. Volume 2. Latest Developments in Oncology. Di Martino L, ed. Italy, Ettore Gasperini Editore, p. 155-69, 1988.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/89649605
Nethersell AB; Section of Oncology, Clinical Res. Dept., Wellcome Res.; Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent, UK

Abstract: This review of interferons (IFNs) in cancer therapy covers the following topics: types and production of IFNs; possible modes of antitumor action, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and side effects of alpha-IFNs; and clinical efficacy of alpha-IFNs (hairy cell leukemia, chronic granulocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, malignant melanoma, AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, renal cell cancer, and other tumors). The last few years of clinical research with alpha-IFNs has seen considerable effort to establish these agents in cancer therapy for a variety of malignancies. Single-agent activities are now defined and a period of sensible use of these drugs is beginning. Whether current studies using IFNs with cytotoxic drugs and radiation, or as adjuvant therapies, will prove successful is still uncertain. Regardless of the outcome of these studies, alpha-IFNs are significant because they represent the first of many new biotherapeutic agents that will be tested in the management of malignant, viral, and immune-mediated diseases. (16 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/THERAPY Carcinoma, Renal Cell/THERAPY Human Interferon Alfa-2a/THERAPEUTIC USE Interferon Alfa-2b/THERAPEUTIC USE Interferon Type I/*THERAPEUTIC USE Kidney Neoplasms/THERAPY Leukemia, Hairy Cell/THERAPY Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic/THERAPY Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin's/THERAPY Melanoma/THERAPY Multiple Myeloma/THERAPY Neoplasms/*THERAPY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/THERAPY Skin Neoplasms/THERAPY MEETING PAPER REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/therapycarcinoma,renalcell/therapyhumaninterferonalfa-2a/therapeuticuseinterferonalfa-2b/therapeuticuseinterferontypei/KWDtherapeuticusekidneyneoplasms/therapyleukemia,hairycell/therapyleukemia,myeloid,chronic/therapylymphoma,non-hodgkin's/therapymelanoma/therapymultiplemyeloma/therapyneoplasms/KWDtherapysarcoma,kaposi's/therapyskinneoplasms/therapymeetingpaperreviewreview,tutorial
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Copyright © 1989 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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