TY - JOUR
T1 - Combined chemoimmunotherapy of metastatic melanoma
T2 - A single institution experience
AU - Di Lauro, Vincenzo
AU - Scalone, Simona
AU - La Mura, Nicoletta
AU - Zanetti, Martina
AU - Nigri, Paola
AU - Freschi, Andrea
AU - Veronesi, Andrea
PY - 2005/6
Y1 - 2005/6
N2 - The addition of cytokines, such as interferon α-2b and interleukin-2, to chemotherapy in metastatic melanoma has produced conflicting results in phase II and III trials. We report our experience with a chemoimmunotherapeutic regimen using subcutaneous cytokines. Twenty-eight patients with advanced melanoma (median age, 45 years; male to female ratio, 19:9) were treated. Doses were as follows: cisplatin, 20 mg/m2 intravenously (iv) days 1-4; vinblastine, 1.6 mg/m2 iv days 1-4; dacarbazine, 800 mg/ m 2 iv day 1; interferon α-2b, 5 MIU/m2 subcutaneously (sc) days 1-5; interleukin-2, 9 MIU/m2 sc days 1-5 and 8-12. Treatment was repeated every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. The response was assessed after two cycles and toxicity at every cycle, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria, respectively. At a median follow-up of 8 months, only four patients (14%) were still alive. The overall response rate was 33%, with three (11%) complete responses lasting for 17, 14 and > 24 months. There were six (22%) partial responses and three stable disease. Amongst the responders, three patients progressed at the level of the central nervous system. The median time to progression and overall survival were 3.5 and 9 months, respectively. The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia, reported in 25 of the 28 patients (92%). Only two patients (7%) experienced neutropenic fever. Thrombocytopenia grade 3-4 occurred in seven of the 28 patients (25%), with only one patient needing transfusional support One toxic death due to neutropenic fever occurred. It can be concluded that the chemoimmunotherapy schedule evaluated is active and may be considered for patients with metastatic melanoma who have a good performance status and a limited disease burden.
AB - The addition of cytokines, such as interferon α-2b and interleukin-2, to chemotherapy in metastatic melanoma has produced conflicting results in phase II and III trials. We report our experience with a chemoimmunotherapeutic regimen using subcutaneous cytokines. Twenty-eight patients with advanced melanoma (median age, 45 years; male to female ratio, 19:9) were treated. Doses were as follows: cisplatin, 20 mg/m2 intravenously (iv) days 1-4; vinblastine, 1.6 mg/m2 iv days 1-4; dacarbazine, 800 mg/ m 2 iv day 1; interferon α-2b, 5 MIU/m2 subcutaneously (sc) days 1-5; interleukin-2, 9 MIU/m2 sc days 1-5 and 8-12. Treatment was repeated every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. The response was assessed after two cycles and toxicity at every cycle, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria, respectively. At a median follow-up of 8 months, only four patients (14%) were still alive. The overall response rate was 33%, with three (11%) complete responses lasting for 17, 14 and > 24 months. There were six (22%) partial responses and three stable disease. Amongst the responders, three patients progressed at the level of the central nervous system. The median time to progression and overall survival were 3.5 and 9 months, respectively. The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia, reported in 25 of the 28 patients (92%). Only two patients (7%) experienced neutropenic fever. Thrombocytopenia grade 3-4 occurred in seven of the 28 patients (25%), with only one patient needing transfusional support One toxic death due to neutropenic fever occurred. It can be concluded that the chemoimmunotherapy schedule evaluated is active and may be considered for patients with metastatic melanoma who have a good performance status and a limited disease burden.
KW - Chemoimmunotherapy
KW - Melanoma
KW - Metastases
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U2 - 10.1097/00008390-200506000-00011
DO - 10.1097/00008390-200506000-00011
M3 - Article
C2 - 15917704
AN - SCOPUS:20544444401
VL - 15
SP - 209
EP - 212
JO - Melanoma Research
JF - Melanoma Research
SN - 0960-8931
IS - 3
ER -