Treatment Information

Cancer Monthly > Treatment Information
Back

Melanoma treatment details. Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:5City/State/Province:Boston, MA
Treatments:Chemotherapy, ImmunotherapyHospital:Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Dec 2008

Description:

Patients:
In this phase 3 study, patients with metastatic melanoma were divided into two separate treatment groups. Group 1 included 195 patients with a median age of 50.5 years and 75% male. Group 2 consisted of 200 patients with a median age of 50.7 years and 67% male.

Treatment:
Patients in group 1 were given the chemotherapy agents cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine.

Patients in group 2 were given these same chemotherapy agents as well as the immunotherapy agents interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon alpha (IFN-a), which help the body’s immune system fight cancer.

Toxicities:
Three treatment-related deaths due to heart attack, hypotension, and infection were reported for group 1. Other toxicities of grade 3 or worse included leucopenia (28% of patients), granulocytopenia (50%), and nausea (11%).

In group 2, two treatment-related deaths due to infection and kidney failure were reported. Other grade 3 or worse toxicities included leucopenia (78% of patients), granulocytopenia (46%), and anemia (24%).

Results:
The reported median overall survival for group 1 was 8.7 months.

For group 2, the median overall survival was 9.0 months.

Support:
Some of the authors of this study receive funding from the pharmaceutical companies Schering-Plough and Chiron/Novartis.

Correspondence: Dr. Michael B. Atkins; email: [email protected]

Email Physician More Information


Back