title: Long term survival with the combination of interferon and chemotherapy in metastatic melanoma.
abstract: The prognosis of metastatic melanoma is poor. Pre-targeted treatment era, the combination of interferon-α (IF-α) plus chemotherapy had been used and have generally short response duration. Herein, we present a metastatic melanoma case that achieved long-term durable complete response (CR) IF-α plus chemotherapy and IF-α maintenance therapy and had lower Regulatory T (Treg) cells. A fifty-year old woman was admitted to the hospital with metastatic melanoma. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level was 660U/L. The percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells was 2.4% in CD4+ lymphocytes. The IF-α plus chemotherapy and IF-α maintenance were administered. After six courses of chemotherapy, CR was achieved. Vitiligo and hypothyroidism occurred. The patient has remained in CR for approximately 7 years until second pleural metastases were detected and death. The patient has positive prognostic factors such as induction of autoimmunity, small tumor volume, mild elevated LDH level, and lower Treg cell percentage. She survived long term with CR after IF-α treatment with concurrent chemotherapy and maintenance. IF-α plus chemotherapy may be a treatment option for metastatic melanoma in selected cases who cannot reach new targeted drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: bulentkaragoz1968@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karagöz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bilgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özgün
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emirzeoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, GATA Haydarpasa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: ahmetozet@gazi.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özet
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077484:Vemurafenib
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007211:Indoles; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib; D003606:Dacarbazine; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: Chemotherapy; Interferon; Melanoma; Treg cell