Successful therapy of natural killer-resistant pulmonary metastases by the synergism of gamma-interferon with tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-2 in mice.

Abstract

The problem associated with lymphokine (gamma-interferon, interleukin-2, and tumor necrosis factor) therapy in cancer is that high toxic doses of these lymphokines must be administered for any significant antitumor results. Therefore this study was undertaken to investigate the antitumor efficacy of these lymphokines in a disseminated pulmonary metastasis when used in combination with each other at dosages well below the toxic level. The role of the immune system of the host, sequencing of lymphokines, and histopathological aspects of lymphokine therapy were also investigated.