Treatment of metastatic melanoma: an overview.
The 10-year survival rate for patients with metastatic melanoma is less than 10%. Although surgery and radiation therapy have a role in the treatment of metastatic disease, systemic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for most patients. Single-agent chemotherapy is well tolerated but is associated with response rates of only 5% to 20%. Combination chemotherapy and biochemotherapy may improve objective response rates but do not extend survival and are associated with greater toxicity. Immunotherapeutic approaches such as high-dose interleukin-2 are associated with durable responses in a small percentage of patients. In this article, we review the treatments for metastatic melanoma including promising investigational approaches.
Bhatia
Shailender
S
Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA. sbhatia@u.washington.edu
Tykodi
Scott S
SS
Thompson
John A
JA
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D011994:Recombinant Proteins