Interferons in Precancer and Cancer Prevention: Where Are We?

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Abstract
Clinical research on interferons (IFN) still focuses on the treatment of advanced cancer. The research strategy eventually must be reevaluated. The cellular minimal deviations that are seen in early phases of carcinogenesis might be the most rational target for immune interventions. That biologic response modifiers have considerable capacity to prevent induction and development of malignant neoplasias has been demonstrated in several animal systems. Even the few clinical studies available at present on the treatment of preneoplastic lesions with IFN have definitely shown more success than those involving treatment of advanced tumors. In addition, there is experimental evidence that IFN might be suitable candidates for immunoprevention. The major problems hampering a wider application of IFN in immunoprevention is that they cause adverse effects. Unfortunately, we do not know much about the specific mechanisms involved in the immune control of human tumor development during the initial and the latency phases of carcinogenesis. More research is needed in this area. In this article the state of the art of using IFN for treating preneoplastic lesions is reviewed, and also we report some of our experimental results on IFN and anticancerogenesis.

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