Centers & Programs News  Tumor Immunotherapy
IL-2
Immunotherapy for Advanced Melanoma and Kidney Cancer
For patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancer, traditional therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation simply may not be enough.
Fortunately, the list of treatment options has grown longer in recent years, thanks to rigorous study by teams of dedicated researchers.
Their efforts have produced, among others, new systemic approaches that can essentially harness the body's natural immune system in its fight against the deadly cells.
Called immunotherapy, this approach can dramatically reduce tumors in patients with melanoma and kidney cancer.
The Interleukin-2 Unit of the NewYork-Presbyterian Tumor Immunotherapy Program at Columbia University Medical Center uses interleukin-2, or IL-2, to treat patients who have malignant melanoma and advanced kidney cancer.
IL-2 represents one of the best treatment options for patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancer.
The largest such center in New York City, this multidisciplinary unit includes a dedicated team of specially trained physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and nutritionists.
Interleukin-2 is a natural protein called a cytokine that is produced by the body.
Part of the immune system, IL-2 stimulates white blood cells to grow and divide.When given in high doses, IL-2 takes on a heroic quality of sorts, helping the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
IL-2 therapy is administered in a specially designed hospital unit.
Typically, two treatment cycles are given, each of which lasts five to seven days.
A month after these first two cycles, a CT scan is taken to determine how well patients have responded to the therapy, and depending on their results, additional cycles may be recommended.
Among patients with advanced kidney cancer and melanoma, high-dose IL-2 turns back the disease in 15% to 20% of cases.
About 6% to 8% of these patients experience lasting or complete regression of all disease.
Directed by Howard L. Kaufman, MD, this center also offers innovative biotherapy and vaccine treatments that use the body's natural defenses to treat patients with cancer.
The Tumor Immunotherapy Program conducts groundbreaking research in vaccines to treat cancers of the breast, colon, kidney, lung, pancreas, prostate, and others.
In addition to these critical trials of cancer vaccines, other studies are investigating interferon (another cytokine therapy) alone and in combination with IL-2, chemotherapy and surgical excision.
"Although we still have a lot to learn about how the immune system controls cancer," states Dr. Kaufman, "it is heartening when it works and we can give people back their lives."
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