Il-2

What Is Interleukin-2?
Interleukin-2 is the only drug approved in the US for the treatment of metastatic RCC. It is also approved in many other countries. But IL-2 isn't just a drug. IL-2 is a natural part of your immune system, a messenger protein called a cytokine which activates parts of your immune system. IL-2 does not kill tumor cells directly like classical chemotherapy. Instead, IL-2activates and stimulates the growth of immune cells, most importantly T-Cells, but also Natural Killer Cells (NK Cells), both of which are capable of destroying cancer cells directly.
There are several types of T-Cells but, without going into detail, certain T-Cells are capable of killing tumor cells if they recognize a specific antigen on the surface of the tumor cell. Antigens are normallyproteins. Each T-Cell is specific for only one antigen but you have many different T-Cells. NK Cells have the ability to kill tumor cells without needing to recognize a specific antigen (I'm not sure how!). While this sounds good, NK cells are weaker cancer killers than T-Cells. The so called LAK cells which were used in some of the early immunotherapy experiments are actually NK cells.
Why IL-2?
Backin 1989 my goal was a cure or at least a long remission and it is probably your goal now. In my view, the proven chance of getting such a result is the reason to try IL-2. At this time the only other therapy I know of that has this kind of long term result is surgery in some cases. I explore the documentation for and odds of getting that kind of result from IL-2 in detail in my pages on specificIL-2 therapies.
Why Not IL-2?
Although the therapy rarely causes serious permanent damage, it's more or less miserable while you're getting it, and often more rather than less. Most importantly, only a small minority of patients get the kind of long term relief that is the reason to try it. In the end whether it's worth it to endure the side-effects of IL-2 for a small (but the best knownunless surgery is also an option) chance at a great result is strictly a personal decision. In my case, I was 33 years old and quality of life wasn't an issue since the disease had already taken that from me. I had nothing to lose. You might feel differently.
IL-2 Eligibility
IL-2 eligibility always a matter of clinical judgment - it's not like eligibility for a clinical trial which is mainly determinedby rigidly specified criteria and it's not a legal thing either. Requirements to take IL-2 vary somewhat according to which IL-2 therapy it is and I do discuss additional requirements for specific IL-2 therapies in articles on each therapy, particularly high dose IL-2, which is more rigorous than other IL-2 therapies.
Some Typical Requirements
* Some patients are too sick to tolerate IL-2treatment. If you cannot get out of bed for more than short periods, or require oxygen, then IL-2 is probably not an option. At the same time, you can still be quite ill and take IL-2 treatment, even high dose IL-2. At the time I started my treatment, I had lost a great deal of weight, was not quite recovered from surgery, was slightly anemic, and in rather severe pain from my bone metastases.Despite this, all of my major organs were functioning normally, and as it turned out, I not only tolerated a high dose IL-2 protocol but was able to take more of the treatment than most. Don't count yourself out!
* If you have brain active metastasis, IL-2 is contraindicated. If you had brain metastasis but it was surgically removed or effectively treated with radiosurgery and now have metastasesin other areas, such as the lungs, then IL-2 based treatment is a possibility. I once met a patient who had very widespread metastasis, including a brain lesion. He had surgery for this brain lesion, and then had high dose IL-2 and all of his remaining tumors vanished! When I saw him, this formerly "hopeless case" looked and felt well and he has good prospects of staying well. If you have active...