Treatment of renal cell carcinoma with human lymphoblastoid interferon alpha and UFT in combination. A prospective multicenter trial

: A cooperative study of combination of UFT (a compound of FT and Uracil) and human lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN-alpha) was conducted in the cases of metastatic renal cell cancer. IFN-alpha was administered over 3 times a week at a dose of 3 X 10(6) units in combination with UFT at a daily dose of 600 mg FT equivalent. Twenty-eight patients from 16 collaborating institutions were the subjects of the present study. The antitumor effects of the drugs were clinically evaluable in 25 cases according to the response criteria of Japan Society for Cancer Therapy. Complete responses and partial responses were observed in 3 and 2 cases, respectively, showing a response rate of 20 per cent. One complete responder had bone and liver metastases and has been alive for more than 2 years without any evidence of relapse. All of the other responders had lung metastasis. The survival durations of the other two complete responders were 716 days and 255 days. The two partial responders had been alive for more than 819 days and 471 days. The adverse effects of this combination therapy were minimal. Combination of a biological response modifier and a cancer chemotherapeutic agent seems to be a way to increase the treatment efficacy of renal cell cancer.