Analysis of the effect of intravesical treatment with interferon-alpha 2b on the clinical evolution and on the in vivo function of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in patients with superficial bladder tumors.

Following complete transurethral resection, patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) were treated with intravesical interferon-alpha 2b. Ex vivo analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) both during and after the treatment period showed an enhancement of natural killer (NK) activity which fell to basal levels upon cessation of therapy. Simultaneous analysis of T-cell activity revealed a similar pattern of variation in the response to the polyclonal mitogen phytohemagglutinin. Both findings point to an alteration in systemic immunoreactivity as a result of intravesical treatment. Further work will be aimed at determining whether this is relevant to the therapeutic value of such treatment and whether prolonged treatment will maintain these effects.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes