Increased disease activity in a patient with sarcoidosis after high dose interleukin 2 treatment for metastatic renal cancer.

Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown aetiology in which cytokines such as interleukin 2 (IL-2) are thought to play an important role. We present the case history of a 48 year old man with sarcoidosis who received treatment with high dose IL-2 for metastatic renal cell cancer, following which he developed hypercalcaemia characterised by a raised level of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-(OH)2-D3), a finding consistent with sarcoidosis associated hypercalcaemia. The increased activity in his sarcoidosis following IL-2 treatment provides direct supportive evidence for the role of IL-2 in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Nonablative hematopoietic cell transplantation for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Nonablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is becoming a preferred treatment for those recipients in whom the potential toxicity risk of standard ablative allogeneic therapy may be unacceptable. Graft-versus-malignancy effects may be generated against epithelial malignancies which are similar to the graft-versus-leukemia activity that is well documented in human hematological malignancies. Renal cell carcinoma has been shown to be responsive to immunotherapy with recombinant human cytokines and may be an ideal model for exploring this novel therapy. Clinical investigations have demonstrated regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma occurs in some patients following nonablative allogeneic HCT. However, graft-versus-host disease remains a significant toxicity of nonablative transplantation, and further investigations are warranted to further evaluate this promising approach and to improve its safety.

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) in renal cell carcinoma: a series of six cases.

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) has been infrequently diagnosed during the clinical course of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). With the advent of more sensitive diagnostic procedures including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), more cases of ISCM have been documented. The management of these cases is particularly challenging as lack of prompt intervention often results in irreversible progressive neurological deficits. We describe the management and clinical course in six patients with RCC who developed ISCM. Two of these patients were treated surgically while four were treated with radiation therapy (RT). Although no major improvements in neurological function were noted, stabilizations were common. This prolonged their ability to live independently, a matter of utmost importance in these terminally ill patients.

A painful cutaneous nodule as the presentation of metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

We report a 43-year-old man with HIV who presented with a painful, vascular-appearing nodule as the initial manifestation of metastasis of a prior transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The transitional cell carcinoma had been treated by nephroureterectomy 4 years before the appearance of the nodule. Histopathologic comparison of the nodule with the prior transitional cell carcinoma and immunoperoxidase staining with monoclonal antibodies confirmed that the nodule was a metastasis of the original transitional cell carcinoma. In general, metastasis of transitional cell carcinoma to the skin is quite uncommon. This case is the first reported episode of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis metastasizing to the skin in the form of a vascular-appearing nodule. The significance of this unusual metastasis occurring in a person with HIV is unknown.

Inflammatory cell infiltrate in a responding metastatic nodule after vaccine-based immunotherapy.

A patient with von Hippel Lindau disease, bilateral symmetric renal cell carcinoma and pulmonary metastases treated with immunotherapy is the subject of this study. A left kidney and tumour mass were removed and the tumour cells used to make an autologous tumour/bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine as part of the treatment protocol. The patient's pulmonary nodules responded, but the remaining renal nodule subsequently grew. Samples of both tumours were obtained allowing for an internally controlled evaluation of the histological and immunohistologic differences between a responding and non-responding tumour nodule after therapy. The immunotherapy protocol is designed to promote a T cell response to autologous tumour. Cellular infiltrates were demonstrated in both responding and non-responding nodules compared with the pretreatment tumour specimen, but the responding nodule contained proportionately more T cells as well as markedly increased numbers of plasma cells and granulocytes. This suggested that several arms of the immune system may have been operative in the responding nodule.

Biologic response modulation by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in a phase Ib trial in cancer patients.

During a phase I study of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in cancer patients, serial immune studies were performed and analyzed for effects of TNF. The TNF (specific activity 9.6 x 10(6) U/mg protein, < 5.0 endotoxin units/mg protein) was given over 2 h intravenously on days 1, 8-12, 29-33, 50-54, and 71-75 at doses of 40, 80, 160, 200, and 240 micrograms/m2. Immunologic testing was performed before therapy three times and subsequently on days 2, 8, 10, 12, 29, 33, 50, 54, 71, 75, and off-study two times. Immune parameters evaluated included cytotoxicity [natural killer (NK), spontaneous lymphokine activated killer cells (LAK), LAK, and monocyte], cytokine production [spontaneous and stimulated interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2], superoxide production [resting and stimulated polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear cells (MNC)], and phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD56, CD19). Data were analyzed for long-term effects, the effect after 1 day of treatment (day 1), and for weekly effect (change from day 1 to day 5 of a given treatment week). Significant decreases were seen in the spontaneous cytotoxicity of peripheral blood NK cells and IL-2-inducible LAK cells, whereas increases in spontaneous peripheral blood LAK activity were seen with TNF treatment. Consistent increases in superoxide production of resting PMN and MNC were demonstrated, with late increases in superoxide production by opsonized, zymosan-treated PMN. No spontaneous IFN-gamma or IL-2 were noted in sera with treatment, but production of IL-2 by MNCs rose with TNF treatment. During 5 days of TNF treatment, the percentages of circulating CD8+ and CD56+ cells decreased, whereas that of CD4+ and CD19+ cells increased significantly and consistently, as determined by a multivariate analysis. Significant changes in several independently measured parameters were observed, including a dose-related diminished production of IFN-gamma by MNC stimulated by phytohemagglutinin and increased in vitro-generated LAK activity. Because there was no clinical response in this trial, no association of immunologic change with clinical response can be made. No biologically optimal dose of TNF was evident. The data suggest that TNF may act as a trigger cytokine, initiating a broad immune/inflammatory response.

Transfusion-related acute lung injury following random donor platelet transfusion: a report of two cases.

OBJECTIVES: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) following random donor platelet (RDP) transfusion is a rare complication of transfusion without any well-documented case reported in the English language literature. We describe 2 patients in whom TRALI occurred following RDP transfusion. METHODS: Conventional clinical and laboratory methods. RESULTS: Both patients developed acute shortness of breath 30-60 min after completion of RDP transfusion and required mechanical ventilatory support. Chest X-ray (CXR) in both cases revealed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. Patient 1 required vasopressors for hypotension. Right heart catheterization ruled out fluid overload. Patient 2 remained hemodynamically stable. Both patients improved rapidly with continued respiratory support and were extubated within 48 h. CXR at this time showed clearing of infiltrates. In both cases a granulocyte antibody was identified in the plasma of a platelet donor supporting the diagnosis of TRALI. CONCLUSIONS: In suspected cases of TRALI. HLA and granulocyte antibody testing is indicated for the recipients and for donors of implicated components. Implicated donors need not be excluded from the donor pool, but can be used for fractionated plasma and plasma-free components.

Expression and activity of signaling molecules in T lymphocytes obtained from patients with metastatic melanoma before and after interleukin 2 therapy.

Recent studies have demonstrated altered expression and function of signaling molecules in T and natural killer cells in patients with cancer. The impairment of immune cell functions in advanced cancer may result from defects in signal transduction. We studied purified T cells obtained from peripheral blood or tumor-involved lymph nodes (LNs) of 45 patients with advanced metastatic melanoma for the presence of abnormalities in expression or activity of various signaling molecules. Western blot analyses demonstrated reduced expression of CD3-zeta in 10 of 11 preparations of T cells obtained from tumor-involved LNs. Similar reduction in expression of CD3-zeta was demonstrated by immunostaining performed in situ on frozen sections of melanoma tissues. Expression of p56(lck) and Zap-70, but not phospholipase C-gamma1, was reduced in these patients' T cells relative to those obtained from normal individuals. In 50% of the patients, reduced expression of CD3-zeta and p56(lck) was observed in T lymphocytes obtained both from tumor-involved LNs and from peripheral blood. To determine whether deficient expression of these signaling molecules is reversible, T cells from melanoma-involved LNs were incubated in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL-2) for 48 h, and lysates from fresh or cultured lymphocytes were compared for changes in expression of signaling molecules. Cells cultured in the presence of IL-2 demonstrated increased expression of CD3-zeta and p56(lck), which approached the levels detected in normal T cells. However, the level of p56(lck) kinase activity did not normalize in any of the LN-derived lymphocytes cultured in the presence of IL-2. Decreased expression of CD3-zeta or p56(lck) observed in the patients' T cells was not reversed by immunotherapy with IL-2 at low or high dose in those patients with metastatic melanoma who failed to respond to therapy. However, in three patients who achieved clinical responses, the initially reduced expression of zeta in peripheral blood T cells normalized following IL-2 therapy.

Tumor necrosis factor administration is associated with increased endogenous production of M-CSF and G-CSF but not GM-CSF in human cancer patients.

In humans, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment has been associated with characteristic changes in circulating white blood cell populations (leukopenia followed by leukocytosis) and increased cell-surface expression of integrins. A similar pattern of effects on leukocytes occurs with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and G-CSF treatment. To determine whether these effects were caused directly by TNF or as a result of secondary CSF release, G-GM-, and M-CSF levels were measured after TNF infusion (9.6 x 10(6) U/mg protein; < 5.0 endotoxin U/mg protein) in cancer patients during two phase I trials of TNF. One patient with aggressive fibromatosis was treated with TNF alone (200 micrograms/m2, days 1-5 every third week) and 10 patients (four colon cancer, four head and neck cancer; one melanoma; one sarcoma) received mitomycin C (15 mg/m2, day 1) followed by TNF (60-180 micrograms/m2, days 1-3) every sixth week. All treatments were given IV, mitomycin C over 5 minutes and TNF over 2 hours. Serum samples were collected at times 0 (before mitomycin C and TNF) and 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours after TNF initiation on day 1 and at similar times on subsequent treatment days. M-CSF samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and G-CSF and GM-CSF by ELISA. The mean baseline M-CSF levels in normal control subjects (n = 12) was 158.4 +/- 36.2 (SD) U/mL, and in pretreatment cancer patients (n = 10) 235.7 +/- 60.9 U/mL (p = 0.004, Wilcoxon test). M-CSF levels increased 4 hours after TNF initiation (mean 354.7 +/- 96.3 U/mL; p = 0.020), remained elevated at 6 hours (305.6 +/- 45.4 U/mL; p = 0.004, Wilcoxon signed-rank test), and subsequently declined. This pattern was seen in all patients treated with TNF, whether treatment was TNF alone or TNF with mitomycin C. In patients treated with mitomycin C and TNF, G-CSF levels increased at 4 hours after TNF initiation (mean 3886 +/- 2009 pg/mL; p = 0.004), remained elevated at 6 hours (mean 2140 +/- 1131 pg/mL; p = 0.004), and subsequently declined. GM-CSF levels were not measurable before or after treatment with TNF. The changes in all three endogenous cytokines were not temporally related to the previously described leukopenia and integrin upregulation on circulating leukocytes and, therefore, appear to be unrelated to this event. However, release of endogenous G-CSF and M-CSF under the influence of TNF does temporally coincide with the previously described leukocytosis, suggesting a possible role for these endogenous cytokines in the release of bone marrow cellular stores.

An application of decision theory to patient screening for an autologous tumour vaccine trial.

Patients are eligible for accrual onto a phase I autologous tumour vaccine clinical trial if their resected and dissociated tumour achieves a minimum viable cell count. Because tumour pre-processing and cell count determination are expensive, there has been developed a screening procedure based on tumour mass to screen out those tumours unlikely to yield sufficient viable cells. If theta is the ratio of the expected benefit of an accrual onto the study to the cost of tumour pre-processing and cell counting, then we maximize long-run benefit by pre-processing and counting only those tumours whose masses exceed a cutoff mc, such that Pr(sufficient tumour cells masses = mc) = 1/theta. We derive algorithms for estimating mc and evaluate them under a variety of assumptions concerning the cell count/mass relationship. These include explicit equations for mc under parametric assumptions as well as more general algorithms based on non-parametric smoothing techniques. We show that when theta deviates substantially from 2, these methods outperform simple inverse interpolation.

Preparation of viable tumour cell vaccine from human solid tumours: relationship between tumour mass and cell yield. The Tissue Bank, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

Active specific immunotherapy for cancer often requires the use of autologous or allogeneic tumour cells as immunizing antigen. Tumours were obtained for such a protocol. However, estimation of viable cell yield from pre-processed fresh tumour mass was difficult, and initially there did not appear to be a direct relationship between pre-processed tumour mass and viable cells obtained after processing. We therefore analysed all of 293 tumour specimens processed to attempt to discern such a relationship. Of these 137 were melanoma, 14 were sarcoma, 48 were adenocarcinoma, 59 were renal cell carcinoma and 35 were classified as other. A positive correlation was found between pre-processed tumour mass and viable cell yield, with Spearman correlation values varying from r = 0.49 (adenocarcinoma) to r = 0.84 (melanoma). For all tumours the Spearman correlation was r = 0.70 (p = 0.0001). Not surprisingly, the most frequent site of removal associated with bacterial contamination was bowel. In conclusion, this study provides useful curves for predicting viable tumour cell yield from pre-processed tumour mass of given histology.

Evidence for oligoclonal T-cell response in a metastasis of renal cell carcinoma responding to vaccination with autologous tumor cells and transfer of in vitro-sensitized vaccine-draining lymph node lymphocytes.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) of a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease and renal cell carcinoma were studied for the T-cell receptor beta chain variable region (TCR-V beta) repertoire. The patient was vaccinated with irradiated autologous tumor cells from a renal tumor mass, a vaccine-draining lymph node was removed, and lymphocytes were cultured in the presence of autologous tumor cells and low-dose interleukin 2 (IL2). These lymphocytes were adoptively transferred to the patient together with systemic IL2 (30,000 IU/kg every 8 h). Analysis of TCR-V beta expression was performed by polymerase chain reaction in PBL before, during, and after therapy, in vaccine-draining lymph node lymphocytes, and in TIL obtained from moderately infiltrated, nonresponding renal tumor mass and from a more intensely infiltrated lung metastasis, which was responding to treatment. Significant differences in the expression of TCR-V beta 13.1 by T-cells recovered from these various sites were observed. Also, TIL recovered from the responding lung metastasis and cultured in the presence of IL2 gave rise to autologous tumor-reactive CD4+ T-cells, whereas the nonresponsive renal tumor yielded a mixture of T- and natural killer cells. In PBL obtained prior to treatment and during IL2 therapy, expression of V beta 13.1 was 0.7 and 1.8%, respectively, of the total V beta gene repertoire. Fresh vaccine-draining lymph node lymphocytes contained 5.9% of V beta 13.1-expressing T-cells. After IL2 therapy, V beta 13.1 gene expression increased to 5.4% in PBL. In the nonresponding tumor mass, the frequency of V beta 13.1 gene expression among TIL was 12%, whereas in the responding, highly infiltrated nodule, it was 28%, with a striking loss of expression of other V beta gene families. Sequencing of the amplified product of V beta 13.1 complementary DNA from the responding pulmonary metastasis showed restrictions in the complementarity-determining region 3. Thus, in vivo expansion of V beta 13.1-expressing CD4+ T-cells, possibly in response to a tumor-associated antigen, occurred in the responding tumor mass following this form of therapy and correlated with tumor course.

Plasminogen activator and its inhibitor in cancer patients treated with tumor necrosis factor.

BACKGROUND: We noted the presence of plasma fibrin degradation products in patients treated with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in a phase I trial. PURPOSE: To further define this observation, we investigated the effects of TNF on the fibrinolytic system in patients entered in the same trial. METHODS: In the 14 patients studied, fibrinolytic parameters were measured by analyzing blood samples for tissue plasminogen activator and inhibitor at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 18-24 hours after initiation of TNF treatment. We used a chromogenic substrate method to determine activity of plasminogen activator and its inhibitor and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine levels of antigen (tissue-type plasminogen activator). Molecular weight was determined by zymographic assay. RESULTS: TNF treatment was associated with tissue-type plasminogen activator induction within 1 hour of TNF initiation. The plasminogen activator produced was consistent with tissue-type plasminogen activator derived from endothelium as evidenced by molecular weight analysis and ELISA. Moreover, induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor occurred following the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator, and our data suggest a dose-response effect for TNF. At high doses (i.e., 200 and 240 micrograms/m2), there was a more rapid and prolonged release of plasminogen activator inhibitor, which had an inverse relationship with the level of antigenic tissue-type plasminogen activator. Zymographic analysis showed urokinase-type plasminogen activator activity in 13 of 14 patients. In three patients, simultaneous measurements of white blood cells and tissue-type plasminogen activator revealed a temporal association between the TNF-associated rapid granulocytopenia at 30 minutes after TNF initiation and release of tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a positive association between TNF and rapid induction of plasminogen activator activity that is consistent with an endothelial product. It is possible that, at high doses, TNF may interact directly with vascular endothelium, leading to rapid and prolonged production of plasminogen activator inhibitor. There was a dose-response effect between TNF and release of tissue-type plasminogen activator. The release of tissue-type plasminogen activator was preceded by granulocytopenia, which may indicate an association between a proposed TNF-induced granulocyte-endothelial interaction in vivo and release of tissue-type plasminogen activator. IMPLICATIONS: These findings demonstrating the effects of TNF on the fibrinolytic system can be analyzed further in experimental systems to determine the implications for use of this agent as a biological response modifier in cancer therapy.

Granulocytopenia in cancer patients treated in a phase I trial with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor.

We have examined the effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) upon granulocyte kinetics in cancer patients in a phase I clinical trial. TNF was given to each patient intravenously over 2 h at varying doses. A marked drop in the total white blood cell count, absolute polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) count, and absolute monocyte count occurred reproducibly at 30 min after TNF initiation. Also noted was a drop in the absolute lymphocyte and eosinophil counts, both of which reached their nadir at approximately 4 h. A marked increase in immature PMN leukocytes (bands) was noted beginning at 1 h. These changes were statistically significant. Statistically significant increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit occurred at the 30 min time point but subsequently decreased to approximately 90% of pretreatment baseline. Additionally, the platelet count decreased, reaching its nadir approximately 6 h after TNF initiation. In four serial studies in patients on the highest dose of TNF, the granulocyte adhesion protein CD11b was shown to increase on the surface of the PMN leukocytes by as early as 7-15 min after initiation of TNF infusion. In each of these, expression of CD11b antigen increased prior to the disappearance of PMN leukocytes from the peripheral circulation. A similar finding was obtained for monocytes. This work indicates that within 30 min of intravenous infusion of TNF, mature granulocytes and monocytes have left the peripheral circulation. This is followed by an apparent bone marrow response indicated by an outpouring of bands. The initial granulocyte and monocyte emigration from the peripheral circulation is preceded at highest-dose TNF by increased cell surface expression of CD11b for both cell types, suggesting a causal relationship between these temporally linked events.

Intra-abdominal actinomycosis presenting with sulfur granules in the urine.

Intra-abdominal actinomycosis is rarely suspected and is difficult to diagnose. A 46-year-old woman with intra-abdominal actinomycosis is described in whom the condition was first suspected when sulfur granules were found in her urine. The infection had involved her bladder but not her kidneys.