A phase II trial of human recombinant lnterleukin-2 administered as a 4-day continuous infusion for children with refractory neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. A childrens cancer group study

Background. Recombinant human Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been effective at inducing measurable antitumor responses in adults with renal cell carcinoma and melanoma. It also is being tested as adjuvant therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia after autologous bone marrow transplantation. Methods. The authors tested IL-2 in a pediatric Phase II trial using a regimen that has antitumor effects in adults and was proven to be tolerated acceptably in a prior Phase I pediatric trial. Thirty-eight patients were entered into this study of whom 36 received IL–2 and were evaluable (20 with sarcoma, 9 with neuroblastoma, 5.