Clinical Cancer Res Research Articles

Survival and long-term toxicities of biochemotherapy for metastatic melanoma

8553 Purpose: Because long-term survival after therapy for advanced stage IV melanoma is rare, we thought it would be useful to examine our series of survivors treated with biochemotherapy for melanoma to analyze the characteristics of survivors and their chronic toxicities. Patients and Methods: We reviewed our previously reported (J Clin Oncol. 2005:23:16s suppl, abstract 7547) consecutive series of 38 patients treated between 9/02 and 7/04. They received 6 cycles of inpatient temozolomide, cisplatin, vinblastine, decrescendo high- dose iv IL-2 , and interferon followed by maintenance immunotherapy using IL-2 and sargramostim using the O’Day regimen (Clinical Cancer Res. 2002:8:2775).Two of the ten long-term survivors received surgery for resection of residual disease after achieving a partial response with biochemotherapy. Maintenance immunotherapy was given for 6 to 24 months after biochemotherapy. Results: The median progression- free survival was 7.3 months. No patient developed progression later than 17 months after the start of therapy with the progression-free survival curve level at 24%. Median overall survival was 16.2 months. 10 of the 38 patients are alive and disease-free off therapy after an average of 3.3 years follow-up. Durable complete responses were seen in visceral sites including lung, bone, and pericardium, with 8 of 10 long- term survivors having M1B or M1C disease. 3 patients have significant lymphedema related to prior surgery, radiation therapy, or both. 2 patients, one with pre-existing diabetes, have significant persisting neuropathy. 5 of the 10 patients are hypothyroid. Menstrual function returned in the three women under age 45 in this study. Conclusion: This series supports the findings from other series that biochemotherapy, like high-dose IL-2, can give prolonged disease-free survival. Survivors have a high incidence of hypothyroidism but neuropathy and lymphedema, which affected a minority of patients, were the most bothersome long-term toxicities. No significant financial relationships to disclose.