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Metronomic Dosing of IL-2 Shows Promise in Prostate Cancer Patients BETHESDA, Md -- August 15, 2008 -- Metronomic dosing of interleukin-2 (IL-2) as part of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine strategy is safe and well-tolerated, compared with standard IL-2 dosing, according to a study in the August 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research. The therapy produces similar immune responses and fewer side effects than the more common dosing method, which is not well tolerated by many patients. "Developing an alternative method of administering vaccine therapy that is well tolerated by most patients and produces similar immune responses to standard methods may help further the development of vaccine therapies for prostate cancer," said James L. Gulley, MD, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers examined the side effects and immune responses of patients treated with a 3-pronged approach; the vaccine, radiation therapy, and an alternative dosing regimen of IL-2. All patients (N = 18) had localised prostate cancer, had not undergone surgery to remove the prostate, and were candidates for radiation therapy as their primary form of treatment. Patients were treated with the vaccine and radiation therapy but with lower daily doses of IL-2 given over a longer period of time. With metronomic dosing, fewer than a quarter of the patients had side effects that required their dose of IL-2 to be reduced. The research team also found that metronomic dosing of IL-2 produced effects on immune cell populations and immune responses that were similar to those observed in previous studies using the standard dosing method. Of the patients who were evaluated, 5 of 8 had at least a 3-fold increase in immune cells that were directed against the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Furthermore, in some patients, metronomic dosing of IL-2 induced immune responses against other prostate cancer antigens. "Based on safety and feasibility, metronomic dosing appears to be superior to standard dosing and administration," said Dr. Gulley. "More research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of this dosing method in treating prostate cancer." SOURCE: US National Institutes of Health E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version