PHASE-II TRIALS OF INTERFERON-ALPHA AND INTERFERON-BETA IN ADVANCED SARCOMAS

Interferons (IFNs)-alpha and -beta were administered to patients with metastatic sarcomas in two different Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group studies. In one study, patients received IFN-alpha2b, 20 million units/m2 i.v. 5 days/week x 4, then 10 million units s.c. t.i.w. In the second study, patients received IFN-beta(ser) 180 million units t.i.w. Of 87 patients evaluable for response, there were three responses in 64 patients (5%) treated with IFN-alpha-2b and no responses in 23 patients treated with IFN-beta(ser). Severe or life-threatening fatigue with decline in performance status complicated treatment of 37% of patients receiving IFN-alpha2b and 17% of patients receiving IFN-beta(ser). Further investigation of IFNs in sarcomas should depend on evidence from preclinical studies demonstrating synergistic effects of IFNs combined with a cytoreductive modality which has proven activity in these malignancies.