Administration of Interferon alfa-2 in the Treatment of Patients with Disseminated Renal Cell Carcinoma after Palliative Nephrectomy

The aim of the investigation is to study the administration effectiveness of interferon alfa-2 in the treatment of patients with disseminated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after palliative nephrectomy.

Materials and Methods. There were analyzed the treatment results of 34 patients with metastatic RCC. Palliative nephrectomy was performed in 33 patients, and 1 patient underwent nephrectomy of the solitary kidney. Immunotherapy was administered in the form of Roferon, in a dose of 6–9 million IU subcutaneously thrice a week. The change in size of metastatic foci or the new foci appearance was assessed by CT, it being the criterion of administered treatment efficacy.

Results. When the patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were treated by interferon alfa-2, an average period of time without progression was 18.2±2.2 months (median value — 9.0 months), and the overall survival was 21.9±2.4 months (median value — 18.0 months). Survivability up to the three years’ period in the patients, who was administered immunotherapy, did not exceed 52%. There was stated statistically significant relationship between overall survival and the degree of tumour differentiation (р=0.018), three years’ survival and MSKCC prognosis criteria (р=0.0004), overall survival (р=0.001) and nonprogressive survival (p=0.014) and the tumour site. Administration of interferon alfa-2 was the most effective in patients with pulmonary metastases of RCC, having favourable prognosis according to MSKCC criteria.

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Amoev Z.V., Atduev V.А., Alyasova А.V., Dubrovin V.N. Administration of Interferon alfa-2 in the Treatment of Patients with Disseminated Renal Cell Carcinoma after Palliative Nephrectomy. Sovremennye tehnologii v medicine 2011; (4): 45