Radiofrequency ablation combined with KS-IL2 immunocytokine (EMD 273066) results in an enhanced antitumor effect against murine colon adenocarcinoma

Purpose: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a common treatment modality for surgically unresectable tumors. However, there is a high rate of both local and systemic recurrence.

Experimental design: In this preclinical study, we sought to enhance the antitumor effect of RFA by combining it with huKS-IL2 immunocytokine [tumor-specific monoclonal antibody fused to interleukin-2 (IL2)] in mice bearing CT26-KS colon adenocarcinoma. Mice were treated with RFA, huKS-IL2 via intratumoral injection, or combination therapy.

Results: Treatment of mice bearing s.c. tumors with RFA and huKS-IL2 resulted in significantly greater tumor growth suppression and enhanced survival compared with mice treated with RFA or huKS-IL2 alone. When subtherapeutic regimens of RFA or huKS-IL2 were used, tumors progressed in all treated mice. In contrast, the combination of RFA and immunocytokine resulted in complete tumor resolution in 50% of mice. Treatment of a tumor with RFA and intratumoral huKS-IL2 also showed antitumor effects against a distant untreated tumor. Tumor-free mice after treatment with RFA and huKS-IL2 showed immunologic memory based on their ability to reject subsequent challenges of CT26-KS and the more aggressive parental CT26 tumors. Flow cytometry analysis of tumor-reactive T cells from mice with complete tumor resolution showed that treatment with RFA and huKS-IL2 resulted in a greater proportion of cytokine-producing CD4 T cells and CD8 T cells compared with mice treated with RFA or huKS-IL2 alone.

Conclusions: These results show that the addition of huKS-IL2 to RFA significantly enhances the antitumor response in this murine model, resulting in complete tumor resolution and induction of immunologic memory.