Publication
Title
Interferon-alpha-2a with or without 13-cis retinoic acid in patients with progressive, measurable metastatic renal cell carcinoma - Results of a randomized Phase II study (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Study 30951)
Author
Abstract
BACKGROUND. in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (MRCC), interferon-alpha (IFN) monotherapy leads to response rates of 5-15%, dependent on the selection of patients. In 1995, preclinical and clinical data indicated an improvement of these results if IFN was combined with 13-cis retinoic acid (CRA). METHODS. in a randomized Phase II study, patients with measurable MRCC received either subcutaneous IFN (9 MU daily; Arm A) or the same daily subcutaneous dose of IFN plus oral CRA (1 mg/kg; Arm B). A central expert panel reviewed the X-ray documentation of objective responses. RESULTS. In the 50 eligible patients from Arm A, the objective, expert-reviewed response rate was 6% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3-16.6%; 2 complete responses [CRs] and 1 partial response [PR]). A 19% response rate (95% CI, 9.4-32.0%) was stated for 53 eligible patients from Arm B (2 CRs and 8 PRs). Only one of the four CRs claimed by the clinical investigator was confirmed by the central review committee. Conversely, the expert committee deemed that 3 of 12 investigator-stated PRs were CRs. Constitutional toxicity (flu-like symptoms) and/or side effects from skin, mucosa, or eyes led to discontinuation of treatment in 22% of nonprogressing patients, more often in Arm B than in Arm A. CONCLUSIONS. The results from this randomized Phase II study support expansion of the trial into a Phase III study to evaluate the effect of IFN-CRA combination therapy on the survival of patients who undergo nephrectomy prior to IFN-based immunotherapy. The considerable interobserver variability of response evaluation (individual investigator vs. expert panel) indicates the necessity of a central review of claimed responses in future Phase II studies involving patients with MRCC. (C) 2004 American Cancer Society.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Cancer: interdisciplinary international journal of the American Cancer Society. - Philadelphia, Pa.
Publication
Philadelphia, Pa. : 2004
ISSN
0008-543X [print]
1097-0142 [online]
DOI
10.1002/CNCR.20307
Volume/pages
101 :3 (2004) , p. 533-540
ISI
000222770100011
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 12.07.2012
Last edited 16.02.2023
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