Interferon for craniopharyngioma – pro
For craniophayrngioma there is literature on intratumoral injections. For systemic use, In a phase II trial, Jakacki et al (2000) used interferon alpha at a dose of 8 million U/m2 administered subcutaneously every day for a 16-week induction period and then the same dose 3 times/wk for 32 additional weeks in 15 patients with recurrent or progressive craniopharyngioma. [9] Although an objective radiographic response was seen in only 3 of 12 patients who were able to be evaluated, the time until radiation therapy was required was delayed in those patients. However, 60% experienced moderately severe toxicities (eg, hepatic, neurologic, cutaneous), but these were all reversible with discontinuation or dose reduction.The same group more recently has used a pegylated form of interferon alpha-2b, Sylantron, in a small series of 5 patients, further demonstrating the feasibility and possible efficacy of this approach. However, much more work remains to be done before it can routinely be used clinically.
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Jakacki RI, Cohen BH, Jamison C, et al. Phase II evaluation of interferon-alpha-2a for progressive or recurrent craniopharyngiomas. J Neurosurg. 2000 Feb. 92(2):255-60.
Yeung JT, Pollack IF, Panigrahy A, Jakacki RI. Pegylated interferon-a-2b for children with recurrent craniopharyngioma. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2012 Dec. 10(6):498-503.