Subcutaneous low doses of interleukin-2 and recombinant interferon alpha with carboplatin and vinblastine in patients with advanced melanoma
Date
1998Author
Bafaloukos, DimitriosFountzilas, George
Skarlos, Dimosthenis V.
Pavlidis, Nicholas
Bacoyiannis, Charalambos
Karvounis, N.
Kosmidis, Paraskevas A.
Source
OncologyVolume
55Issue
1Pages
48-52Google Scholar check
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Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Twenty-three patients with advanced melanoma were treated with a combination of subcutaneous recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2), and recombinant interferon alpha-2a (IFN-alpha) with chemotherapy consisting of four cycles of carboplatin (300 mg/m2, day 1) and vinblastine (6 mg/m2, day 1), every 28 days (CV-IL-IF). IL-2 was given at a dose of 4.5 x 10(6) U twice daily on days 3-6 and days 21-24 of each cycle; IFN-alpha dose was 4.5 x 10(6) U, starting on day 2, thrice weekly. Immunotherapy was intended to continue for 6 months. Of the 23 analyzed patients, 4 (17%) achieved an objective response, including 1 complete and 3 partial responses, in nonvisceral metastatic disease. The median time to progression was 5 months and the median survival from onset of the treatment 6 months (range 1-14 months). Four patients discontinued the treatment, due to nonhaematologic toxicity; 3 for severe weakness and the 4th patient for long-lasting CNS side-effects. Other grade 3-4 toxicities included weight loss (22%), nausea and vomiting (17%) and alopecia (13%). The haematologic toxicity was acceptable. No toxic death was noted. It is concluded that the CV-IL-IF regimen has limited activity and moderate toxicity.