title: Recombinant interferon ALFA-2A in combination with carboplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin in the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma.
abstract: Thirty-four patients with advanced malignant melanoma were treated with recombinant alpha-interferon (IFN) and chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin (CVB). CVB was given for four cycles and IFN for 1 year or until progression. Of the 34 analyzed patients, 17 (50%) achieved an objective response, including two complete (6%) and 15 partial responses (44%). Responses were noted in cutaneous, lymph node, and pulmonary sites, with a median time to disease progression of 5 months (range, 3-20 months). The median survival from onset of therapy was 8 months (range, 1-22 months) for the 34 patients. Ninety-four percent of the patients experienced flu-like symptoms and 82% fatigue or weakness. Leukopenia grade 3-4 was observed in four patients (12%). There were two toxicity-related deaths (6%); one from bleomycin-induced pneumonitis and one from neutropenic sepsis. It is concluded that the addition of IFN to CVB regimen, in this study, showed no apparent advantage on response rates, disease-free interval, or survival. The observed treatment-related mortality was unacceptably high. IFN administered as maintenance therapy following CVB conferred no survival benefit.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medical Oncology, Metaxa Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bafaloukos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fountzilas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skarlos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klouvas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makrantonakis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giannakakis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsavaris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosmidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D016190:Carboplatin