Premium
Ambulatory treatment of metastatic melanoma associating subcutaneous dacarbazine, interferon α and interleukin‐2
Author(s) -
Dréno B.,
Cupissol D.,
Joly P.,
Sassolas B.,
Bonneterre T.,
Tourani J.M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.1995.tb00346.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dacarbazine , ambulatory , subcutaneous injection , toxicity , melanoma , surgery , alpha interferon , interferon , interleukin 2 , gastroenterology , lymph , chemotherapy , cytokine , immunology , pathology , cancer research
Background Recent studies have shown that interleukin–2 (IL2) is less toxic when administered subcutaneously than intravenously. Moreover interferon α and Dacarbazine could increase the efficiency of IL2. Patients and methods Nineteen ambulatory patients with metastatic melanoma (1 stage 111 and 18 stage IV) were treated with an association of dacarbazine 400 mg/m 2 , interferon α 2a (Roferon) 9 × l0 6 IU 3 times per week administered subcutaneously and recombinant interleukin‐2 (IL–2) (Eurocetus) 3 × 10 6 IU five days per week for two weeks per month subcutaneously. The treatment consisted of 2 induction cures separated by a one‐month interval followed by evaluation studies. Results At the end of the induction phase. 2 complete and 3 partial responses (response rate 26.2%) were observed. These responses were obtained in patients with sinus (1 case), skin (3 cases), lymph node (2 cases), bone (1 case) and liver (I case) targets. The mean response period was 10 months for the 2 complete responses. No patients had grade 4 toxicity, and treatment was stopped for only one patient. Painful subcutaneous nodules frequently (23%) formed at the injection site. Conclusion The association of subcutaneously administered dacarbazine, interferon α and IL2 would thus seem of interest for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Moreover, toxicity is tolerable and compatible with ambulatory treatment ensuring the patient a decent quality of life.