A case of malignant histiocytosis successfully treated with combination interferon and etoposide therapy

A 66-year-old woman with malignant histiocytosis was treated with a combination of recombinant gamma interferon (GI-3) and etoposide. Following partial response to intravenous gamma interferon (9 x 10(6) units (U)/day) alone, the patient received an eight-months course of subcutaneous gamma interferon (0.5 x 10(6) U/day) and intravenous etoposide (100 mg/week). After two years, the patient remains in complete remission. The present case report discusses the successful use of combination gamma interferon and etoposide for the treatment of malignant histiocytosis.

Antitumor effect of combination of murine recombinant interferon beta, murine recombinant interferon gamma and human recombinant interleukin-2 in MethA-bearing mice

We have previously reported that the combination of murine recombinant interferon beta (Mu-rIFN beta) with murine recombinant interferon gamma (Mu-rIFN gamma) provided greater inhibition of tumor growth than did each one alone in MethA-bearing mice. In the present study the effect of addition of human recombinant interleukin-2 (Hu-rIL-2) to the combination of Mu-rIFN beta with Mu-rIFN gamma on tumor growth in BALB/c mice bearing syngeneic MethA fibrosarcoma was examined. Low doses of Hu-rIL-2 (5 x 10(3) U or 5 x 10(4) U at 3-day intervals) showed no antitumor activity, while a high dose of Hu-rIL-2 (5 x 10(5) U) showed profound growth inhibition. The administration of IL-2 (ranging between 5 x 10(3) U and 5 x 10(5) U) in addition to the combination of IFN beta and IFN gamma showed more augmented antitumor effects in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the simultaneous administration of IL-2, IFN beta and IFN gamma had more effective therapeutic activity, compared with the sequential administration of interferons and IL-2. These findings indicated that IL-2 in combination with IFN beta and gamma was effective for cancer treatment.

[Clinical evaluation of imipenem/cilastatin sodium against severe infections complicated with hematological disorders and solid tumors]

Imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IMP/CS) was administered to patients with severe infections complicated by hematological disorders and solid tumors to assess its efficacy and safety. Primary diseases in this series of 76 cases included 37 cases of hematological disorders (acute leukemia in 25 cases, malignant lymphoma in 7 cases, aplastic anemia in 3 cases and 2 other diseases) and 38 cases of solid tumors (lung cancer in 7 cases, gastric cancer in 11 cases, esophageal cancer in 6 cases, pancreatic cancer in 3 cases, bile duct cancer in 4 cases, hepatocellular cancer in 3 cases, and 4 other diseases). Following results were obtained. 1. Types of infection in hematological diseases were sepsis in 5 cases, suspected sepsis in 24 cases, pneumonia in 5 cases and 3 others. The efficacy rates were 100% in sepsis, 62.5% in suspected sepsis, 80% in pneumonia and 73% in all cases. 2. Types of infection in solid tumors were sepsis in 2 cases, suspected sepsis in 13 cases, pneumonia in 10 cases, cholecystitis in 2 cases, cholangitis in 5 cases, liver abscess in 2 cases, and 4 others. The efficacy rates were 50% in sepsis, 69.2% in suspected sepsis, 80% in pneumonia, and 71.1% in all cases. 3. IPM/CS was administered in single use in 66 cases and in combination with other antibiotics in 9 cases. The efficacy rate in the single use was 72.7% and that in the combination use was 66.7%. 4. The efficacy rate in 35 cases of first use was 71.4% and that in 40 cases of second use was 72.5%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)