Current Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma With Xenogeneic Immune Ribonucleic Acid

Abstract

A phase II trial involving 27 patients treated with immune RNA for renal cell carcinoma is presented. All patients had stage III or IV renal cell carcinoma. The patients have undergone excision of the primary tumor or superficial metastases, injection of tumor into guinea pigs and harvesting of immune RNA. Autologous lymphocytes, obtained by plasmapheresis on an outpatient basis, were incubated with immune RNA and reinfused into the host. Results indicate complete response in 1 patient for more than 61 mo., partial response in 5 patients for 6-10 mo. and stabilization in 10 patients for 2-8 mo., all of whom had progressive disease before the institution of therapy. Six patients with continued progressive disease died at a median of 2 mo. after therapy. Of 5 patients treated in an adjuvant fashion only 1 has had a relapse from 9-18 mo. after therapy. Patients with pulmonary metastases seem to represent the most favorable group for this passive form of immunotherapy. This therapy would seem to offer reasonable alternatives in selected patients with advanced disease.