Nephrotoxicity from cancer immunotherapy.

Because systemic intravenous immunotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum is an effective immunopotentiating and immunotherapeutic agent in animals, clinical studies of this agent have been undertaken. Toxicities in man have been noted, but most are treated symptomatically. Three patients with metastatic melanoma developed oliguria, edema, diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, azotemia, hypoalbuminemia and hypocomplementemia, while receiving intravenous C. parvum therapy. All had renal biopsies that showed a proliferative glomerulonephritis with subendothelial basement membrane deposits. Immunofluorescence showed glomerular IgG, IgA, IgM, and the C3 component of complement. A fourth patient was found in retrospective chart review of 87 patients registered on two C. parvum-containing protcols. The frequency of the complication in this group was 3/87. Renal failure resolved in all four patients spontaneously after the cessation of C. parvum immunotherapy. Serial evaluation of renal function should be carried out in all patients on systemic adjuvant immunotherapy.