Interleukin with interferon boosts immunity

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec 10, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- The immune-stimulating hormone known as interleukin-12 -- IL-12 -- can safely be administered with interferon, say Ohio State University researchers.

Normally, interferon is used alone to stimulate the immune system to attack certain cancers. This strategy, a form of immunotherapy, is sometimes used to treat melanoma, advanced kidney cancer and other tumors that respond poorly to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. But interferon can have serious side effects that limit its use.

However, two drugs used in sequence caused no serious side effects in patients, says principal investigator William E. Carson III.

"Interferon can be quite toxic when used alone," says Carson. "We were initially concerned that the addition of IL-12 might increase that toxicity. Instead, we found that the two drugs can be used together without additional side effects."

The findings are published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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