title: Subcutaneous low doses of interleukin-2 and recombinant interferon alpha with carboplatin and vinblastine in patients with advanced melanoma.
abstract: Twenty-three patients with advanced melanoma were treated with a combination of subcutaneous recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2), and recombinant interferon alpha-2a (IFN-alpha) with chemotherapy consisting of four cycles of carboplatin (300 mg/m2, day 1) and vinblastine (6 mg/m2, day 1), every 28 days (CV-IL-IF). IL-2 was given at a dose of 4.5 x 10(6) U twice daily on days 3-6 and days 21-24 of each cycle; IFN-alpha dose was 4.5 x 10(6) U, starting on day 2, thrice weekly. Immunotherapy was intended to continue for 6 months. Of the 23 analyzed patients, 4 (17%) achieved an objective response, including 1 complete and 3 partial responses, in nonvisceral metastatic disease. The median time to progression was 5 months and the median survival from onset of the treatment 6 months (range 1-14 months). Four patients discontinued the treatment, due to nonhaematologic toxicity; 3 for severe weakness and the 4th patient for long-lasting CNS side-effects. Other grade 3-4 toxicities included weight loss (22%), nausea and vomiting (17%) and alopecia (13%). The haematologic toxicity was acceptable. No toxic death was noted. It is concluded that the CV-IL-IF regimen has limited activity and moderate toxicity.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medical Oncology, Metaxa's Cancer Institute of Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bafaloukos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fountzilas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skarlos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bakoyiannis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karvounis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosmidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014747:Vinblastine; D016190:Carboplatin