Effective chemotherapy for melanoma after treatment with interleukin-2.
Twenty patients with biopsy-proven metastatic malignant melanoma, previously treated with interleukin-2 (IL-2), received combination chemotherapy for progressive disease. Treatment included carmustine, cisplatin, dacarbazine, and tamoxifen (BCDT). Nausea was the most common toxicity (100%) and usually was mild. Persistent thrombocytopenia was the most frequent toxicity limiting further treatment. Eleven patients (55%) had an objective partial response, three patients (15%) had a minor response, and six patients (30%) had no change or progressive disease in response to this treatment. These results were comparable to the high response rates (21 of 40, 53%) achieved with BCDT in previously untreated patients with melanoma. It was concluded that prior therapy using IL-2 does not significantly alter the response rate of metastatic melanoma to BCDT, thus suggesting that immunomodulators (e.g., IL-2) and chemotherapeutic agents are not cross-resistant treatments.
Richards
J M
JM
Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois.
Gilewski
T A
TA
Ramming
K
K
Mitchel
B
B
Doane
L L
LL
Vogelzang
N J
NJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage
D007376:Interleukin-2; D013629:Tamoxifen; D003606:Dacarbazine; D002945:Cisplatin; D002330:Carmustine