Abstract
Introduction: Patients with resected stage II or III melanoma are at high risk of recurrence, with 5-year mortality rate of 40–60%. Adjuvant interferon-alfa has demonstrated a small RFS and OS benefit versus observation in this patient population. However, the adjuvant treatment landscape is evolving rapidly. Areas covered: This review aims to summarize the safety and efficacy profiles of adjuvant IFNα/PEG-IFNα, revisit the controversy surrounding its application, and reappraise its position in the rapidly changing treatment landscape of resected melanoma. A literature search using PubMed database was undertaken using search words melanoma, interferon-alfa, pegylated interferon-alfa, adjuvant therapy. Expert opinion: Currently, there is no international consensus regarding the optimal dosing schedule for adjuvant IFNα, but HD IFNα-2b remains the most widely used regimen. The AEs of HD IFNα-2b are substantial; however, toxicity management experience amassed over the past 2 decades has significantly improved safety. Many exciting studies are ongoing to examine the roles of immune checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF-targeted therapies in the adjuvant setting and will further delineate the role of adjuvant IFNα.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 933-940 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Expert Opinion on Drug Safety |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 3 2017 |
Keywords
- Melanoma
- adjuvant therapy
- interferon-alfa
- pegylated interferon-alfa
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology (medical)