title: Treatment of malignant melanoma with interleukin-2.
abstract: Treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) represents one of the earliest attempts at systemic immunomodulation as a therapy for cancer. Initial reports showed objective response rates with single-agent rIL-2 therapy in the range of 15% to 20% with some durable responses; however, the overall response rates were lower than originally anticipated. In addition, in contrast to animal models, it appears that coadministration of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, generated ex vivo with rIL-2, does not enhance the response rates achieved with single-agent rIL-2. Despite a multitude of studies with various rIL-2 regimens, with and without coadministration of LAK cells or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, the optimum dose and treatment schedule for rIL-2-based therapy in metastatic melanoma remains a topic of controversy. To date, there are also no clear immunologic parameters that can predict biologic response to rIL-2-based therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. 48201, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flaherty
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000637:transplantation; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000637:transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins