Results of clinical trials with the administration of interleukin 2 and adoptive immunotherapy with activated cells in patients with cancer.

The administration of transferred lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in conjunction with the administration of recombinant interleukin 2 (IL 2) at high doses has led to objective remissions in 14/41 cancer patients. Sequential studies with both Jurkat-derived IL 2, recombinant IL 2 and activated cells were conducted in a total of sixty-seven patients with cancer which established the safety, toxicity and immunologic effects of these treatments prior to their successful combination in humans. This regimen was developed in pulmonary and hepatic metastases models in mice using a variety of transplantable tumors. More recently we have demonstrated both in mice and in patients with melanoma that very high doses of recombinant IL 2 (greater than 100,000 units/kg administered three times daily) can lead to objective regressions. The future development of these immunotherapies will include their evaluation in adjuvant settings as well as in combination with other conventional cancer treatments.