Phase I study of recombinant human interferon alpha-2C in patients with chemotherapy-refractory malignancies.

Twenty-two patients with advanced haemopoietic and other malignancies were treated intramuscularly with recombinant interferon-alpha 2C in a daily escalating dose. The most common side-effects were flu-like symptoms. Two patients showed severe neurotoxicity, which was completely reversible in 1 case. Doses above 30 X 10(6) IU/day were poorly tolerated and could only be achieved in a minority of the patients. Objective tumour responses were documented in malignant lymphomas, hairy cell leukaemia, and renal cell carcinoma.