Our experience with interferon alpha: metastatic malignant melanoma

Interferon-alpha and dacarbazine combination is a milestone in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma. Objective response rate ranged from 3% to 25%. Our phase II study included 34 patients; the overall response was 29.4%. Median time of survival of the responders was significantly longer than that of the nonresponders. Nine of the 34 patients had previously progressed on interleukin-2 (IL-2) and dacarbazine treatment, or had been withdrawn because of unacceptable toxicity. Two patients (22.2%) achieved partial responses. There seemed to be no cross-resistance between the two biologic response modifiers. Successful treatment of melanoma patients by interferon resulted in complete disappearance of all extracerebral lesions, but left the brain vulnerable to involvement by metastases, and was frequently a site of relapse. Brain irradiation is suggested by several investigators to prevent cerebral involvement. Ongoing protocols are an adjuvant treatment for high-risk patients and combination of interferon-alpha, IL-2, dacarbazine and cisplatinum for metastatic melanoma after failure of interferon-dacarbazine regimen.