Table 1.

IFN-α efficacy in human malignancies. RFS Relapse-free survival, OS overall survival, HR haematologic response, MS median survival, OBS observation, i.v. intravenous, s.c. subcutaneous

Tumour type	Stage	Doses IFN-α	Clinical effects
Melanoma adjuvant
ECOG E1684 study [41]	IIb, III	20 MU/m2 i.v. 5 days per week for 1 month	Benefit in RFS and OS at 6.9 years (p=0.0237)
IFN-α vs Obs		10 MU/m2 s.c. three times a week for 3 years
ECOG E1690 study [42]	IIb, III	20 MU/m2 i.v. 5 days per week for 1 month	Benefit in RFS at 5.1 years
IFN-α vs Obs		10 MU/m2 s.c. three times a week for 48 weeks
ECOG E2696 study [43]	IIb, III	20 MU/m2 i.v. 5 days per week for 1 month	Benefit in RFS and OS
IFN-α vs GMK vaccine		10 MU/m2 s.c. three times a week for 3 years
Metastatic renal cell cancer
Council renal cancer collaborators [54]	IV	5–10 MU for the first week then 10 MU three times per week for 4 weeks	Benefit in 1-year survival and MS
IFN-α vs medroxyprogesterone acetate
Pyrhonen et al. [64]	IV	3 MU s.c. three times a week for 1 week	Benefit in MS
IFN-α + vinblastine (VLB) vs VBL alone		18 MU s.c. three times a week and VLB
Chronic myeloid leukemia
The Italian Cooperative Study Group on chronic myeloid leukemia [36]		3 MU for the first 2 weeks	Benefit in HR rate and OS (p=0.002)
IFN-α vs hydroxyurea/busulfan		6 MU for another 2 weeks
		9 MU thereafter
The UK Medical Research Council’s working parties for therapeutic trials in adult leukaemia [2]		3 MU per day s.c. for 3 weeks after 6, 9, or 12 MU per day if tolerated and leukocyte count was good	Benefit in OS (p=0.0009)
IFN-α vs hydroxyurea/busulfan
Multiple myeloma
Myeloma trialists’ collaborative group (meta-analysis) [58]			Benefit in RFS (p<0.00001) and OS (p=0.01)
IFN-α vs no IFN-α
Fritz et al. (meta-analysis) [30]			Benefit in RFS (p<0.01) and OS (p<0.01)
IFN-α vs no IFN-α