title: Role of interferon in melanoma: old hopes and new perspectives.
abstract: Interferons (IFNs) play a key role in modulating anti-microbial and antitumor immune responses. In oncology, past attempts to exploit IFNs therapeutically did not fulfill expectations, and had only modest clinical results, mostly limited to adjuvant melanoma treatment. The recent successes of immunotherapy in oncology have brought new attention to the potential of immune-modulatory agents like the IFNs. Areas covered: The authors review the biological effects of IFN on melanoma and immune cells. Then, the authors summarize the clinical results of adjuvant and therapeutic IFN in melanoma, giving focus to possible prognostic factors and new on-going clinical trials. Expert opinion: IFNs offer intriguing opportunities for synergism between conventional treatments and recently introduced molecular-targeted and immunotherapy approaches. However, the full comprehension of all IFN effects and their multiple biologic links is challenging. A strong commitment toward parallel translational research is needed to facilitate the interpretation of IFN's expected and unexpected effects, guiding the rational design of informative clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , University of Torino , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.|b Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology , University of Turin , Torino , Italy.|c Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Cell Therapy , Candiolo Cancer Institute , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanlorenzo
authors.affiliation: d School of Medicine , Sigmund Freud University , Vienna , Austria.|e Department of Dermatology , The Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vujic
authors.affiliation: c Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Cell Therapy , Candiolo Cancer Institute , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carnevale-Schianca
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology , University of Turin , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quaglino
authors.affiliation: c Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Cell Therapy , Candiolo Cancer Institute , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gammaitoni
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology , University of Turin , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fierro
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , University of Torino , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.|c Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Cell Therapy , Candiolo Cancer Institute , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aglietta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , University of Torino , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.|c Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Cell Therapy , Candiolo Cancer Institute , Candiolo , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sangiolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D007372:Interferons / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007372:Interferons
keywords: Interferon; immunotherapy; melanoma