Implications of Chemo/Biochemotherapy In the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma

摘要

Metastatic melanoma is a devastating disease, and therapeutic options are few and have not shown a survival impact in randomized trials. Single agent and combination cytotoxic chemotherapy approaches have had limited therapeutic effect. Immunotherapy with high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) has produced long-term remissions in selected patients, but its toxicity and expense have hindered its widespread application. Lowering the dose of IL-2 and combining it with other agents is a strategy termed biochemotherapy. Although apparently successful in phase II trials, randomized trials testing this approach against chemotherapy alone have not produced statistically significant improvements in response or survival. Clearly, metastatic melanoma represents an area of major unmet need.