Adjuvant low-dose interferon {alpha}2a with or without dacarbazine compared with surgery alone: a prospective-randomized phase III DeCOG trial in melanoma patients with regional lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND

More than half of patients with melanoma that has spread to regional lymph nodes develop recurrent disease within the first 3 years after surgery. The aim of the study was to improve disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with interferon (IFN) alpha2a with or without dacarbazine (DTIC) compared with observation alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 444 patients from 42 centers of the German Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group who had received a complete lymph node dissection for pathologically proven regional node involvement were randomized to receive either 3 MU s.c. of IFNalpha2a three times a week for 2 years (Arm A) or combined treatment with same doses of IFNalpha2a plus DTIC 850 mg/m(2) every 4-8 weeks for 2 years (Arm B) or to observation alone (Arm C). Treatment was discontinued at first sign of relapse.

RESULTS

A total of 441 patients were eligible for intention-to-treat analysis. Kaplan-Meier 4-year OS rate of those who had received IFNalpha2a was 59%. For those with surgery alone, survival was 42% (A versus C, P = 0.0045). No improvement of survival was found for the combined treatment Arm B with 45% survival rate (B versus C, P = 0.76). Similarly, DFS rates showed significant benefit for Arm A, and not for Arm B. Multivariate Cox model confirmed that Arm A has an impact on OS (P = 0.005) but not Arm B (P = 0.34).

CONCLUSIONS

3 MU interferon alpha2a given s.c. three times a week for 2 years significantly improved OS and DFS in patients with melanoma that had spread to the regional lymph nodes. Interestingly, the addition of DTIC reversed the beneficial effect of adjuvant interferon alpha2a therapy.

Best supportive care in combination with polychemotherapy versus best supportive care alone as second-line therapy in stage IV metastatic melanoma (DeCOG MM-PAL 8)

8567

Background: To date, there is no evidence of survival benefit from randomized trials in stage IV metastatic melanoma (MM) after disease progression to first-line therapy. Therefore, we initiated a phase III trial to evaluate the impact on survival of polychemotherapy in patients (pts.) receiving best supportive care (BSC) as second-line therapy. Methods: This prospective multicenter controlled study was conducted by the Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group (DeCOG) with 13 participating centers. Pts. with stage IV MM disease between 18 and 75 yrs. and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > 60 with progression after first-line chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy were offered to choose between polychemotherapy + BSC or BSC alone. Pts. were required to have adequate renal, liver and bone marrow function. The regimen consisted of cisplatin (50 mg/m2), vindesine (3 mg/m2) and dacarbacin (450 mg/m2) given on day 1 and 8 every 28 days (CVD). Reevaluation according to WHO response criteria were performed every 2 cycles. Primary endpoint was the median overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were overall response rate (OR) (only CVD arm) and quality of life (QOL). Results: Between 1/02 and 8/06 120 pts. were recruited, a minority of 35 pts. (29%) chose the BSC arm (A) and 85 (71%) the CVD + BSC arm (B). Five pts. were ineligible, and thus 115 pts. treated per protocol. There was a significant lower KPS in arm A at study entry. At the time of data analysis, 85% of the pts. had died from melanoma. There was no siginificant difference (p=0.093) in median OS between the two arms, 9.0 [95% CI: 3,9–14,1] months in arm A and 8.0 [95% CI: 6,5–9,5] months in arm B. The OR in arm B was 7.5% (2 CR, 3 PR). Conclusions: Polychemotherapy (CVD) + BSC as second-line therapy in stage IV MM does not improve overall survival as compared to BSC alone.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin plus paclitaxel as an individualized chemosensitivity-directed treatment in advanced metastatic melanoma

8551

Background: Melanoma is a cutaneous neoplasm known for its high agressiveness and its poor prognosis once metastasized. Dacarbacine chemotherapy is actually considered standard first-line treatment of metastatic melanoma, with reported response rates of 6–7%. Due to this unsatisfactory situation, a number of non-standard anti-cancer drugs have been tested for improved efficacy. The present study was aimed to test doxorubicin plus paclitaxel in metastatic melanoma patients based on in-vitro chemosensitivity of this drug combination in fresh tumor samples. Methods: The primary study endpoint was objective response, secondary endpoints were safety and overall survival. Patients with histologically confirmed metastatic melanoma (AJCC stage IV), measurable tumor parameters, and an in-vitro chemosensitivity to doxorubicin plus paclitaxel which is superior to other test drugs determined by an ATP-based luminescence viability assay, were eligible. Patients received paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 i.v. followed by pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v. at d1 every 28 days. Tumor assessment was performed every 8 weeks and evaluated according to RECIST. Treatment was continued at a tumor response of stable disease (SD) or better, and stopped in case of disease progression (PD) or intolerable side effects. Results: Out of 14 patients enrolled into this study, 12 received study treatment as first-line, and two as second-line therapy. Objective response was 14.3% (1 CR, 1 PR); progression arrest was 28.6% (1 CR, 1 PR, 2 SD). Median overall survival was 9.7 months. Common slight to moderate side effects were myelosuppression and neurotoxicity. Severe toxicities (CTC grade 3/4) were experienced by three patients (21.4%), with two of them presenting severe myelosuppression, and one experiencing myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin combined with paclitaxel shows significant efficacy in advanced metastatic melanoma if applied in an individualized, sensitivity- directed regimen. The observed side effects were comparable to other combination chemotherapies. This treatment regimen needs further evaluation in larger clinical trials containing standard therapy control groups.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.