Active and passive immunotherapy in malignant tumors of the urinary tract

Results are described of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches in urological tumors using different immunomodulators, i.e.: Interleukin-2 (IL2) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (MRC) and infiltrating bladder cancer (TCCB), complement-fixing human antitumor antibodies in prophylaxis of superficial TCCB, Transfer Factor (TF) in stage D3 prostate cancer. With regards to IL2, 23 patients (17 evaluable) suffering from MRC were treated by monthly injection of 2 x 104 IL2 and 16 ± 7 x 106 LAK cells in 10-20 ml of saline in the lymphatics of the feet over a period of 2-8 months. Tumor indicator sites were monitored for 2-30 months. In 7 patients, tumor regression was observed (3 complete and 4 partial); in 5, stabilization of the disease and in the remaining 6, progression. Adverse clinical side effects were minimal. Thirty one patients suffering from infiltrating TCCB (stage T3-T4) were treated by intratumoral injection of 500-50.000 units of IL2 with or without LAK cells (106-109): only 4 complete and 3 partial tumor regressions were observed (duration: 2-48 months). No adverse clinical side effects were noticed. Thirty-two patients suffering from superficial TCCB were also treated after TUR using 3 ml of complement-fixing antitumor antibodies produced in vitro and administered monthly by vesical catheterization. In an observation period of 27 months before and 44 after treatment, a significant reduction of the recurrence rate was observed, which dropped from 15.4 to 5.3 (p _ .0001; Student's t test). Seven patients experienced no furter relapse. No adverse side effects were observed. As far as concerns TF in prostate cancer, 56 patients were treated by monthly injections of a dose of 500 millions of cells. The observation period was of 7 years. Mean survival was 17 months. No adverse clinical effects were noticed. It is concluded that the immunotherapeutic approaches proposed are safe and the results obtained encouraging.