Treatment of advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with recombinant leukocyte A interferon.

We report the results of a trial of recombinant leukocyte A interferon in previously treated patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were no longer responsive to chemotherapy. Patients received recombinant leukocyte A interferon (50 X 10(6) U per square meter of body-surface area) by intramuscular injection three times weekly for three months or longer. Forty-five patients were enrolled in the study, and 37 were evaluated for a response. Thirteen of 24 (54 per cent) evaluable patients with low-histologic-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had objective responses (nine partial responses and four histologically confirmed complete responses). Two of six (33 per cent) with intermediate-grade lymphoma responded (one partially and one completely), and one of seven (14 per cent) with high-grade lymphoma had a partial response. The median duration of responses was eight months. Four of the five complete responders have continued to receive maintenance interferon and have been in complete remission for 3, 7, 9, and 12 months, respectively; one had a recurrence at a site of previous disease seven months after interferon had been stopped. Side effects were noted in most patients. All 16 responders had been heavily pretreated with combination chemotherapy, including doxorubicin in 8 of the 16. These results suggest that recombinant leukocyte A interferon may be an effective new therapy for some patients with low- and intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.