Non-Technical Abstract 
NON TECHNICAL ABSTRACT 
Small-cell lung cancer is a rapidly growing variant of lung cancer that is fatal in more 
than 90% of patients within two years of diagnosis despite treatment with both chemotherapy 
and radiation therapy. There is laboratory and clinical evidence in animal systems indicating 
that under the right circumstances immune cells, called lymphocytes, can be stimulated to 
proliferate, recognize, and destroy cancer cells. In clinical studies in humans, injection of 
Interleukin-2 in high doses stimulates lymphocyte growth and causes shrinkage of highly resistant 
cancers in some patients, albeit with substantial side effects. In this study, small-cell lung 
cancer cells from patients will be grown in the test tube and the gene for interleukin-2 will be 
placed into these cells by means of a carrier to transport the gene, called a plasmid. The tumor 
cells, now carrying the gene for production of interleukin-2 are radiated so that they are alive 
but cannot grow and then are returned by injection under the skin into the patient. The intent 
is to have the tumor cell produce interleukin-2 locally and thereby stimulate sets of lymphocytes 
that are specifically geared to recognize the tumor cells and destroy them. By means of repeated 
injections of these gene-altered cells, it is hoped that adequate numbers of stimulated 
lymphocytes will circulate and cause the destruction of the remaining unaltered lung cancer cells 
in the patient’s body. Toxicity is expected to be minimal because of the low doses of 
Interleukin-2 generated by the cells. Patients will be carefully monitored for any adverse effects 
and to determine if clinical response occurs. 
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Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 18 
