Leukocyte adherence inhibition, natural killer cell activity, gamma-interferon production capacity and phytohemagglutinin response in patients treated with recombinant leukocyte A interferon.

10 patients with disseminated colorectal cancer were treated either chronically or cyclically with human recombinant leukocyte A interferon (IFl-rA) for 3 months. During this period, leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI), natural killer (NK) cell activity, concanavalin A-induced gamma-interferon production capacity (GIPCA) and phytohemagglutinin response were sequentially monitored. In both chronically and cyclically treated patients, IFl-rA therapy led to a 'short-lived' augmentation of NK cell activity. In the chronically treated patients, there was a further depression in the NK cell activity during the course of therapy. The outcome of LAI remained unaltered irrespective of the mode of IFl-rA therapy. There was an inverse correlation between GIPCA and phytohemagglutinin response.