A 63-year-old man comes to the physician after noticing a reddish tinge to his urine for the last couple of days. During evaluation of his hematuria, an abdominal CT scan reveals a left-sided renal mass. Further workup also shows multiple pulmonary and bone nodules. CT-guided biopsy of a peripherally located lung nodule demonstrates renal cell carcinoma. High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is started, and 4 weeks later there is a significant reduction in his tumor burden. Which of the following mechanisms was most likely responsible for regression of his malignancy?

Question

A 63-year-old man comes to the physician after noticing a reddish tinge to his urine for the last couple of days.  During evaluation of his hematuria, an abdominal CT scan reveals a left-sided renal mass.  Further workup also shows multiple pulmonary and bone nodules.  CT-guided biopsy of a peripherally located lung nodule demonstrates renal cell carcinoma.  High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is started, and 4 weeks later there is a significant reduction in his tumor burden.  Which of the following mechanisms was most likely responsible for regression of his malignancy?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is produced by helper T cells and stimulates the growth of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and B cells.  IL-2 also activates natural killer cells and monocytes.  The increased activity of T cells and natural killer cells is thought to be responsible for IL-2's anti-cancer effect on metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma.

A 63-Year-Old Man Comes to the Physician After Noticing a Reddish