Optimal regimes for local IL-2 tumour therapy.

In this report we present studies on optimal regimes for regional IL-2 therapy, focused on dose, schedule and site of injection. Original data obtained in 2 murine tumour models show that all 3 factors are of importance. Anti-tumour responses were most effective when IL-2 was administered regionally 5 to 10 times, at doses ranging from 7,000 to 33,000 IU/day every day or every other day. This resulted in cure rates of more than 40% in mice bearing ascitic tumour that had also disseminated to liver and lungs. The importance of these data is discussed in the light of previous results of our group. These results illustrate that the doses and schedules used in this study are not effective exclusively in these 2 tumour models but may have a more general applicability.