Natural Killer Cells Plus IL-2 Following Chemotherapy to Treat Advanced Melanoma or Kidney Cancer
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2009-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Background:
- Natural killer (NK) cells are large lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that are
important in the immune response to cancer.
- IL-2 (Aldesleukin) is a substance the body makes that controls the growth and function
of many types of cells. The Food and Drug Administration has approved IL-3 for treating
metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer. (Metastatic disease is cancer that has spread
beyond the primary site.)
Objectives: To determine the safety and effectiveness of treating metastatic melanoma and
kidney cancer with laboratory-treated NK cells and IL-2.
Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic melanoma or kidney cancer who
have previously been treated with high-dose IL-2.
Design:
- Leukapheresis. Patients under leukapheresis to obtain NK cells for the treatment
regimen. Blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and directed through a cell
separator machine where white blood cells are extracted. The rest of the blood is
returned to the patient through a needle in the other arm. NK cells are removed from the
white blood cells and treated for re-infusion into the patient.
- Chemotherapy. Starting 8 days before infusion of the treated NK cells, patients receive
intravenous (IV, through a vein) infusions of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine to
suppress the immune system.
- NK cell infusion. Patients receive a 30-minute IV infusion of NK cells 2 days after the
last dose of chemotherapy.
- IL-2 therapy. Within 24 hours of the NK cell infusion, patients receive high-dose IL-2
as a 15-minute IV infusion every 8 hours for up to 5 days. A second cycle of IL-2 is
given about 14 days after the first.
- Blood tests and biopsy. Patients have frequent blood tests during the treatment period
and may be asked to undergo a biopsy (surgical removal of a small piece of tumor or
lymph node) at the end of treatment to look at the effects of the treatment on the tumor
immune cells.
- Follow-up evaluation. Patients are evaluated 4-6 weeks after completing treatment. They
have a physical examination, scans of tumor sites, blood tests and blood sampling (or
leukapheresis) to examine the response to treatment. Patients who improve with treatment
return for evaluations every month. Those whose tumor grows again after originally
shrinking may receive one additional treatment course.