Interferons and osteosarcoma

Abstract

In 1970, we initiated studies at the Karolinska hospital to find out whether biologically meaningful doses of interferon (IFN) alpha preparations could be administered systemically to patients with viral and tumour diseases without causing unacceptable side effects. Antiviral and antitumour efficiency was demonstrated. Only a limited number of patients were injected due to shortage of high dose IFN preparations. Osteosarcoma patients participated in these early attempts. Due to clinical observations on one patient and due to lack of meaningful systemic standard treatment for osteosarcoma at the time, we decided to continue to give adjuvant IFN treatment to a consecutive series of osteosarcoma patients attending our hospital .We were encouraged by the preliminary follow up results of the series and continued to use this therapeutic principle up to 1990. The clinical results achieved are briefly summarized in this mini-review as are the results obtained in simultaneously ongoing model experiments in vitro and in vivo. A randomized large scale ongoing trial, involving the use of adjuvant IFN treatment of osteosarcoma patients, has been initiated by the European and American osteosarcoma study group 35 years after the first osteosarcoma patient received IFN. The trial is briefly outlined in this article.