Interleukin 2 Therapy for Disseminated Cancer

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To the Editor.— In the Dec 12 issue ofJAMA, Lotze et al1described the National Cancer Institute's experience with high-dose recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) therapy without lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in patients with advanced melanoma and colon and ovarian carcinoma. This trial demonstrated antitumor activity of recombinant IL-2 alone in patients with malignant melanoma, but it was associated with considerable toxicity. In the same issue, Dr Moertel2stated that IL-2 therapy as administered in these studies is associated with unacceptably severe toxicity and astronomical costs. These are not balanced by any persuasive evidence of true net therapeutic gain. This specific treatment approach would not seem to merit further application in the compassionate management of patients with cancer. He suggested that general use is not justified. We agree that recombinant IL-2-LAK therapy as practiced by Rosenberg et al3and as adopted by six other centers funded by

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