Interleukin2 (IL-2), with or without your own lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), may be used because a few patients with limited lung and lymph node metastases experienced complete disappearance of disease for more than one or two years.
IL-2 toxicity is significant, and includes nausea and fever, severe fatigue, anemia requiring blood transfusions, and congestive heart failure with fluid accumulating in the lungs and other tissues in about 40 percent of cases. Diarrhea, mouth soreness and hypotension (low blood pressure) requiring admission to an intensive care unit occur in 10 to 20 percent, yet fewer than 3 percent of patients will have a lethal reaction to high doses. Low-dose continuous infusion , now being tried, seems to be as effective and less toxic.
Investigational regimens are combining different interferons with cytotoxic chemotherapy , tumor necrosis factor and IL-2. Some early studies have reported responses in 30 percent of cases, although no combination has been definitely proven superior to interferon-alpha or IL-2 alone.
Vaccines are being explored but are as yet of unproven benefit. Monoclonal antibodies , given either alone or with cytotoxic, biological or radioactive drugs attached to the antibody , are now being used in
clinical trials and may well be a more promising treatment method. The use of these monoclonal antibodies is being investigated for both diagnosis and treatment.
