A prospective trial of recombinant human interferon alpha 2B in previously untreated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group.

The Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group performed a two-stage trial of alpha-2B interferon in 30 hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Two patients did not receive the treatment and are not considered in the analysis. Only two (7%) short-lived objective responses were observed and the median survival time was 22 weeks. Toxicity was, in general, acceptable. Fourteen severe toxic reactions were observed with fever, chills, malaise, and myalgia accounting for the majority. Our experience indicates that recombinant alpha-2B interferon does not have significant antitumor activity against hepatocellular carcinoma.