The effect of low-dose interleukin-2-based immunotherapy on salivary function and composition in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Arch Oral Biol. 2001 Jun;46(6):487-93. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9969(01)00008-5.

Abstract

One of the side-effects accompanying low-dose recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2)-based immunotherapy is salivary hypofunction. We evaluated the functional and compositional whole salivary profile at both resting and stimulated conditions in 10 renal cell carcinoma patients who received prolonged low-dose rIL-2-based immunotherapy. Following the termination of 4 weeks of the combined administration of rIL-2 and recombinant interferon-alpha (rIFN-alpha), we found significant reductions of salivary flow rates at resting condition, accompanied by significant multiple compositional alterations, including increases in calcium, magnesium and phosphate concentrations, and significant reductions in total protein concentration. In contrast, no flow rate reduction was noted under stimulated condition, and the only significant altered compositional component was the phosphate. We recommend salivary-supporting therapies and anticariogenic treatments for patients undergoing low-dose rIL-2-based immunotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Calcium / analysis
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / therapy
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage
  • Immunologic Factors / adverse effects
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Immunotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Interferon Type I / administration & dosage
  • Interferon Type I / therapeutic use
  • Interleukin-2 / administration & dosage
  • Interleukin-2 / adverse effects
  • Interleukin-2 / therapeutic use*
  • Magnesium / analysis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phosphates / analysis
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Saliva / chemistry*
  • Saliva / metabolism
  • Salivary Glands / metabolism
  • Salivary Glands / physiology*
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides / analysis
  • Secretory Rate
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Xerostomia / etiology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interferon Type I
  • Interleukin-2
  • Phosphates
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium