Interferon Therapy for Malignant Solid Tumors

It has been over 50 years since the discovery of interferon. While initially touted as “the wonder drug” for cancer therapy, the reality of interferon use as a treatment for cancer has been far different. Today, interferon is used predominantly as adjuvant therapy in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma and is being evaluated for potential new applications in other malignancies, including leukemias, lymphomas, ovarian and prostate cancer, and tumors of the central nervous system. In this review we will discuss the outcome and challenges of interferon administration in malignancies and the future of this first “cytokine” in cancer therapy.