title: Current status of melanoma treatment with interferon, cytokines and other biologic response modifiers in Japan.
abstract: This paper introduces the current status of melanoma treatment with various biologic response modifiers (BRMs) in Japan, with an emphasis on the clinical results of Interferon therapies. The authors also refer briefly to the current situation of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in Japan. Many BRMs have been used in treatment of melanoma, e.g., IFN, IL-2, TNFs, BCG, MY-1 (DNA extracted from BCG), WPG (CWs of Bifidobacterium infantis, ATCC 15697), OK-432 (Picibanil, Streptococcus pyogenes preparation), bestatin, and forphenicinol. Some of these have completed clinical trials, while others are still undergoing clinical testing. Among IFN-alpha, beta, and gamma, intralesional administration of natural IFN-beta was found to be more effective than IFN-alpha for metastatic skin melanoma, the survival time of patients being prolonged by the administration of IFN-beta. IFN-gamma appeared to have lower efficacy than IFN-alpha and beta. The frequency of BRM application to melanoma treatment will increase. The authors foresee that combinations with radio- and/or other chemotherapy will be more common than the single use of a BRM, especially in the case of IFN.
authors: Department of Dermatology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ishihara
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Hayasaka
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Yamazaki
mesh_terms: D001685:Biological Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton; D016207:Cytokines; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005998:Glycine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007930:Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009171:Mycolic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010844:Picibanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D001688:Biological Products; D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton; D016207:Cytokines; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D009088:Mucoproteins; D009171:Mycolic Acids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010844:Picibanil; C035946:forphenicinol; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex; D005998:Glycine