title: Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, sargramostim) administered for 3 years as adjuvant therapy of stages II(T4), III, and IV melanoma.
abstract: A hypothesis generating study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of prolonged (3 y) administration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, sargramostim) as surgical adjuvant therapy in patients with melanoma at high risk of recurrence. Ninety-eight evaluable patients with stages II(T4), III, or IV melanoma were given prolonged treatment with GM-CSF after surgical resection of disease. The GM-CSF was administered subcutaneously in 28-day cycles, such that a dose of 125 microg/m2 was delivered daily for 14 days followed by 14 days rest. Treatment cycles continued for 3 years or until disease recurrence, which could not be surgically excised. Patients were evaluated for toxicity, disease-free survival, and melanoma-specific survival. Prolonged administration of GM-CSF was well tolerated; grade 1 or 2 side effects occurred in 82% of the patients. There were no grade 3 or 4 treatment-related side effects. Two patients developed acute myelogenous leukemia after completion of 3 years of GM-CSF administration. With a median follow-up of 5.3 years, the median melanoma-specific survival has not yet been reached. The 5-year melanoma-specific survival rate was 60%. The current study has expanded the preliminary evidence on GM-CSF as adjuvant therapy of patients with melanoma who are at high risk for recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Northern California Melanoma Center, Saint Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94117-1079, USA. lynn.spitler@chw.edu
authors.forename: Lynn E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Spitler
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cruickshank
authors.forename: Edeltraut
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garbe
authors.forename: Hui-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Seng-jaw
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Soong
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C081222:sargramostim; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor