A Phase I Study of Intravenous Recombinant Human IL-15(rhIL-15) in Adults With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma and Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer

Background:

• Recombinant human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15) is a substance that is naturally produced in the body that has many properties that increase the activity and strength of the immune system, the body s natural defense system. It is hoped that rhIL-15 can boost or strengthen patients immune systems and restore immune responses against cancer and infectious diseases like HIV.
• rhIL-15 is being studied in patients with malignant melanoma, an aggressive type of skin cancer, and in patients with renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Researchers are interested in determining if rhIL-15 can help stimulate the immune system and aid in the treatment process for cancers that have not responded well to standard therapies.

Objectives:

• To determine whether rhIL-15 is safe and effective in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma or metastatic renal cell carcinoma
• To examine how the body processes rhIL-15 after each infusion and determine how it acts on the treated cancer.

Eligibility:

• Patients older than 18 years of age that have been diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma or metastatic renal cell carcinoma that has not responded to standard treatments.
• Eligible patients may not have received prior treatment with interleukin-2.

Design:

• Prior to treatment, patients will have baseline blood tests and imaging scans.
• Participants will be admitted to an in-patient unit of the NIH Clinical Center for this treatment. rhIL-15 will be given intravenously once a day for 12 consecutive days, for a total of twelve doses of the drug. The injection of rhIL-15 will take about 30 minutes. Patients will be evaluated daily before each treatment and more frequently if necessary.
• During the 12-day treatment and for at least 42 days from the start of the treatment, patients will be closely followed for possible side effects and for tumor response. Blood will be drawn frequently for monitoring purposes, and other procedures such as chest x-rays and imaging scans will be performed to monitor the state of the tumor and the patient response to treatment.
• After completing the rhIL-15 treatment and discharge from the hospital, patients will have an evaluation with a member of the research team once a week from the end of the treatment period to 42 days from the start of the treatment.
• Study doctors may ask patients to return for evaluation (including blood draws) at 3 and 6 months after the completion of the treatment, checking for potential long-term effects or toxicity of the treatment.

Background:

• Recombinant human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15) is a substance that is naturally produced in the body that has many properties that increase the activity and strength of the immune system, the body s natural defense system. It is hoped that rhIL-15 can boost or strengthen patients immune systems and restore immune responses against cancer and infectious diseases like HIV.
• rhIL-15 is being studied in patients with malignant melanoma, an aggressive type of skin cancer, and in patients with renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Researchers are interested in determining if rhIL-15 can help stimulate the immune system and aid in the treatment process for cancers that have not responded well to standard therapies.

Objectives:

• To determine whether rhIL-15 is safe and effective in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma or metastatic renal cell carcinoma
• To examine how the body processes rhIL-15 after each infusion and determine how it acts on the treated cancer.

Eligibility:

• Patients older than 18 years of age that have been diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma or metastatic renal cell carcinoma that has not responded to standard treatments.
• Eligible patients may not have received prior treatment with interleukin-2.

Design:

• Prior to treatment, patients will have baseline blood tests and imaging scans.
• Participants will be admitted to an in-patient unit of the NIH Clinical Center for this treatment. rhIL-15 will be given intravenously once a day for 12 consecutive days, for a total of twelve doses of the drug. The injection of rhIL-15 will take about 30 minutes. Patients will be evaluated daily before each treatment and more frequently if necessary.
• During the 12-day treatment and for at least 42 days from the start of the treatment, patients will be closely followed for possible side effects and for tumor response. Blood will be drawn frequently for monitoring purposes, and other procedures such as chest x-rays and imaging scans will be performed to monitor the state of the tumor and the patient response to treatment.
• After completi...