Intraperitoneal infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 in malignant ascites in patients with gastrointestinal and ovarian cancer.

In a phase-I-study recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in a dose from 0.01 to 0.3 mg/m2/day for 7 to 14 days was infused intraperitoneally. Side effects were fever and fluid retention. 2 patients showed a bacterial peritonitis after paracentesis. The investigations showed that the intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of interleukin-2 activates the whole lymphokine cascade.