OBJECTIVE: High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is effective immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) but has been contraindicated in elderly patients.
This study assessed the safety and therapeutic efficacy of high-dose IL-2 in patients ≥65 years of age with metastatic melanoma and RCC.
METHODS: A prospectively collected clinical database of 104 consecutive melanoma or RCC patients treated with high-dose IL-2 between 2009 and 2012 was used to compare clinical outcomes and adverse events in patients ≥65 years of age with those of younger patients.
RESULTS: There were 22 (21%) patients ≥65 years and 82 (79%) patients < 65 years of age. The mean number of IL-2 doses was lower in older patients during cycle 1 of treatment (7.2 vs. 8.6, p = 0.012). There were no other differences in dosing pattern by age group. There was a higher rate of selected cardiac, constitutional, hematologic, metabolic and renal toxicities in younger patients (p < 0.05). Overall, objective responses and survival were not affected by age, though older patients had a higher partial response rate (p = 0.04).
CONCLUSIONS: IL-2 is safe and has comparable therapeutic effectiveness in patients ≥65 years. Age should not be considered a contraindication to treatment with IL-2 in otherwise eligible patients.
Written by:
Clark JM, Kelley B, Titze J, Fung H, Maciejewski J, Nathan S, Rich E, Basu S, Kaufman HL. Are you the author?
Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Reference: Oncology. 2013;84(2):123-6.
doi: 10.1159/000342764
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23235386
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