[Current aspects of adjuvant therapy of malignant melanoma].
Despite intensive clinical and research efforts during recent decades, the prognosis of patients with stage IV melanoma still remains poor. Finding effective adjuvant treatment for patients with a high risk of relapse and metastasis is one of the most urgent needs in clinical research. Systemic adjuvant chemotherapy administered in several clinical trials offered no benefit in terms of improved relapse-free or overall survival. Interferon alpha-2a and -2b treatment was the first treatment in the adjuvant setting which has shown a treatment benefit and received approval in Germany. Today clinical research focuses on improved treatment schedules with conventional interferon compared to pegylated interferon as well as on new compounds such as CTLA4 inhibitors like ipilimumab or a vaccination against the MAGE-A3 peptide.
Klinik für Dermatologie, -Venerologie und Allergologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Schittenhelmstr. 7, 24105, Kiel, Germany. kckaehler@yahoo.de
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D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000187:drug effects; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000074324:Ipilimumab; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a