A phase II study of the efficacy of recombinant interferon gamma in relapsing ovarian adenocarcinoma.

Fourteen patients with relapsing ovarian cancer were treated with a regimen of intravenous interferon gamma (IFN gamma). During an initial induction phase, patients received 2 mg/m2 IFN gamma intravenously over 2 h daily for 5 days, repeated every 2 weeks for six courses. Patients who responded were continued on a maintenance phase, receiving 3 mg/m2 intravenously over 2 h, twice weekly every 2 weeks for 2 to 6 months. All patients had received prior cisplatin containing chemotherapy regimens. Of the 14 patients entered, 7 completed the six courses of the induction treatment. Four patients were clinical responders and continued on maintenance therapy. The most commonly reported toxicities included malaise, fever, and deteriorating performance status. There appears to be some clinically apparent antitumor activity demonstrated by this dosing schedule of interferon gamma in ovarian cancers.