Cytokine combinations in immunotherapy for solid tumors: a review

The use of cytokines alone or in combination with other cytokines or cytotoxic drugs has had a profound effect upon widely metastatic disease in many cases. However, despite the encouraging results in early trials, there is much room for improvement. Few responses to these combinations are complete, and toxicity has in some cases been quite severe. Changes in dose, route, or schedule of administration of the drugs, or the development of cytokine analogs may lead to more efficacious and less toxic regimens. In addition, new cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-7 and IL-12 are currently under investigation for potential use in future immunotherapy trials. These prospects and the use of cytokine combinations are promising advances in the treatment of human cancer.