Interferon-alpha Therapy
Introduction
Melanoma is a serious malignant cancer of the skin and the 6th most common cancer in the United States. The number of individuals being diagnosed with melanoma has risen steadily over the past 50 years. Early detection and removal of melanomas can be curative in the vast majority of patients. However, melanomas that are thicker, ulcerated, or rapidly growing have a higher risk of spreading to draining regional lymph nodes and distant sites. Therefore, these melanomas may require additional surgery (adjuvant treatment) in order to improve the patient's chance of survival.
Interferon-alpha is a a protein made by immune cells that can boost the body's ability to fight off viral infections and some cancers. High doses of interferon-alpha have been shown, in clinical trials involving large numbers of patients with high-risk melanoma, to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence and associated death. These research studies led the Food and Drug Administration in 1995 to approve interferon-alpha as adjuvant therapy for patients with surgically removed melanoma who are deemed to be at high risk for disease recurrence.
Treatment Approach
The standard interferon-alpha regimen involves intravenous treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks (Induction Phase) followed by subcutaneous (under the skin) injections at home 3 days a week for 2-11 months (Maintenance Phase). During therapy, patients will have regular visits for blood work, history, and physical examination. Collaboration with local primary oncologists can be arranged.
Adverse Effects
The most frequent adverse events are flu-like symptons: fever, fatigue, nausea, headache, muscle aches, and depression. In addition, interferon can cause low blood cell counts or liver abnormalities that may require dose modifications. These side effects are all reversible and typically resolve within a couple of weeks of stopping or withholing of therapy.
