Journal of Immunology Research and Infectious Diseases

Combination of Interferons for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

*María Margarita Ríos Cabrera, MSc¹, Iraldo Bello Rivero, PhD² and Javier Cruz Rodríguez, MD, PhD³

¹Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Master in Research and Development of Medicines. Assistant Researcher. Provincial Clinical-Surgical Hospital “Arnaldo Milián Castro”, Santa Clara, Cuba
²Doctor in Biological Sciences. Principal researcher. Assistant teacher. Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba.
³Doctor of Medicine. Doctor of Health Sciences. Master in Medical Emergencies. First Degree Specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine. First Degree Specialist in General Surgery. Instructor teacher. Assistant Researcher. Provincial Clinical-Surgical Hospital “Arnaldo Milián Castro”, Santa Clara, Cuba

Abstract

Introduction: A novel formulation that combines IFN alpha-2b and gamma evidenced effectivity in cancer treatment. The poor prognosis of advanced renal cancer needs new therapeutic approaches. A retrospective study was carried out evaluating the effectivity and safety of interferon’s combination in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Methods: Retrospective case-control and cohort analyzes were performed, carried out to identify patients with advanced or metastatic kidney tumors treated from May 2009 to December 2021 in a Cuban healthcare center. Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma received a combination of IFN alpha-2b/gamma. Heberon Alpha R was used as historical control. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee and informed consent was obtained for participating patients.

Results: 56 patients were included. The combination of IFNs (experimental group) and the Heberon Alpha R (historical control group) were comparable. Overall survival in stage III disease was 101.3 months with combination of IFNs versus 38.1 in Heberon Alpha R, and 70.4 months versus 30.6 months in stage IV patients. The functional capacity of patients from experimental group was higher than those from control and reached more than 75%, with favorable functional capacity at 24 months; while more than 65% of patients in the control cursed with worse capacity. No serious adverse events with proven causality occurred within the cohort of patients treated with interferon combination. The events correspond to those reported in other studies.

Conclusions: The combination of interferon’s was effective and safe for patients with advanced kidney cancer.

Keywords:

Combination of interferon’s, Advanced kidney cancer, Immunotherapy