Sequential local injection of low-dose interferon-beta for maintenance therapy in stage II and III melanoma: a single-institution matched case-control study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the beneficial effect of maintenance therapy in stage II and III melanoma by sequential local injection of low-dose interferon-β.

METHODS:

We reviewed 46 patients with stage II and III primary melanoma at our institution from 2004 through 2009. Twenty-one patients were treated with interferon-β maintenance therapy consisting of subcutaneous injection of natural interferon-β at a dose of 3 × 10(6) IU/day for 10 consecutive days, and 25 patients underwent observation alone.

RESULTS:

Compared with all patients, overall survival and relapse-free survival were significantly worse in the observation group than in the interferon-β group (p = 0.024 and 0.029, respectively). In stage II, a significant difference in overall survival, but not in relapse-free survival, was seen between the two groups (p = 0.041). When the interferon-β group was stratified by subgroup, there was a statistical difference only between dosage and duration (p = 0.027 and p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrates that maintenance therapy by interferon-β is beneficial in the outcome of the disease without substantial toxic effects, especially in patients with stage II melanoma. Extension of the duration of treatment beyond 2 years could further improve the therapeutic efficacy of interferon-β.

• Authors: Satoru Aoyagi, Hiroo Hata, Erina Homma, Hiroshi Shimizu
• Journal: Oncology (Oncology) Vol. 82 Issue 3 Pg. 139-46 ( 2012) ISSN: 1423-0232 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 22433252 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Interferon-beta

Topics

• Aged
• Antineoplastic Agents (administration & dosage)
• Case-Control Studies
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Injections, Subcutaneous
• Interferon-beta (administration & dosage)
• Male
• Melanoma (drug therapy, mortality, pathology)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Prognosis
• Retrospective Studies
• Skin Neoplasms (drug therapy, mortality, pathology)
• Survival Rate