Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Mycosis Fungoides

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Clinically and histologically proven diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• •* Mycosis fungoides (MF) meeting 1 of the following conditions:
• •* Stage IIB disease that has failed psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) light therapy and topical chemotherapy (mechlorethamine and/or carmustine)
• •* Stage III disease with generalized erythroderma
• •* Stage IV disease with biopsy proven nodal or visceral involvement
• •* Sezary syndrome
• •* Stage III MF with a minimum of 20% Sezary cells (based on total WBC)
• •No clinically significant ascites or pleural effusion
• •* Clinically significant pleural effusion defined as shortness of breath with oxygen saturation less than 90%
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 to 80
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 70-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 16 weeks
• •Hematopoietic:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •WBC at least 3,500/mm\^3
• •Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin at least 11.5 g/dL
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin less than 2.5 times normal
• •SGOT less than 2.5 times normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• •No nephrotic syndrome
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No history of myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure
• •No symptomatic coronary artery disease
• •No clinically manifest hypotension
• •No severe hypertension
• •No arrhythmia on electrocardiogram
• •No edema
• •No contraindication to pressor agents
• •Pulmonary:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No dyspnea at rest or severe exertional dyspnea
• •Neurologic:
• •No significant CNS dysfunction, including any of the following:
• •* Seizure disorder
• •* Active cerebrovascular disease
• •* Dementia or delirium
• •Other:
• •No autoimmune disease, including psoriasis
• •No uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease
• •No uncontrolled infection
• •No history of adverse reaction to interleukin-2
• •HIV and HTLV-I negative
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior systemic or topical chemotherapy (6 weeks since prior mitomycin or nitrosoureas)
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •At least 1 week since prior corticosteroids
• •No concurrent corticosteroids
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •No prior organ allograft
• •At least 3 weeks since other prior major surgery
• •Other:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy
• •At least 2 weeks since prior phototherapy (ultraviolet B \[UVB\] or PUVA light therapy)
• •No concurrent phototherapy (UVB or PUVA light therapy)