			Home About us Contact

III Melanoma (iii + melanoma)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

The prognostic value of serum S100B in patients with cutaneous melanoma: A meta-analysis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 10 2008
Simone Mocellin
Abstract S100B protein detected in the serum of patients with cutaneous melanoma has been long reported as a prognostic biomarker. However, no consensus exists on its implementation in the routine clinical setting. This study aimed to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the evidence on the suitability of serum S100B to predict patients' survival. Twenty-two series enrolling 3393 patients with TNM stage I to IV cutaneous melanoma were reviewed. Standard meta-analysis methods were applied to evaluate the overall relationship between S100B serum levels and patients' survival (meta-risk). Serum S100B positivity was associated with significantly poorer survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.92,2.58, p < 0.0001). Between-study heterogeneity was significant, which appeared to be related mainly to dissemination bias and the inclusion of patients with stage IV disease. Considering stage I to III melanoma (n = 1594), the meta-risk remained highly significant (HR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.8,2.89; p < 0.0001) and studies' estimates were homogeneous. Subgroup analysis of series reporting multivariate survival analysis supported S100B as a prognostic factor independent of the TNM staging system. Our findings suggest that serum S100B detection has a clinically valuable independent prognostic value in patients with melanoma, with particular regard to stage I-III disease. Further investigation focusing on this subset of patients is justified and warranted before S100B can be implemented in the routine clinical management of melanoma. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The feasibility of adjuvant interferon ,-2b in children with high-risk melanoma

CANCER, Issue 4 2005
Fariba Navid M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND It has been shown that induction high-dose interferon ,-2b (IFN-,-2b) followed by maintenance therapy improves recurrence-free survival in adults with high-risk, resected melanoma. In this study, the feasibility and toxicity of this regimen were evaluated in newly diagnosed pediatric patients with Stage III melanoma involving regional lymph nodes. METHODS Fifteen patients age , 18 years with newly diagnosed Stage III melanoma were enrolled on an institutional protocol. Patients were treated with wide local excision, sentinel lymph node biopsy, lymph node dissection, and adjuvant biotherapy, consisting of induction therapy with 20 million IU/m2 per day IFN-,-2b intravenously 5 times per week for 4 weeks followed by maintenance therapy with IFN-,-2b 10 million IU/m2 per day subcutaneously 3 times per week for 48 weeks. Patients were monitored for toxicity and tumor recurrence. RESULTS All patients completed induction therapy, and nine patients completed maintenance therapy. Three patients currently are receiving maintenance, 2 patients developed recurrent disease on maintenance therapy, and 1 patient stopped maintenance therapy 5 weeks early. During induction therapy, Grade 3,4 toxicities included 14 episodes of neutropenia in 11 patients, 3 episodes of leukopenia in 2 patients, and 6 episodes of liver transaminase elevations in 5 patients. Dose modifications were required in four patients. During maintenance therapy, Grade 3,4 toxicities included 23 episodes of neutropenia in 10 patients and 2 episodes of liver transaminase elevations in 2 patients. Three patients required dose modifications. All toxicities were reversible with interruption or dose modification of therapy, and no patients were taken off study due to toxicity. CONCLUSIONS High dose IFN-,-2b for 4 weeks followed by a lower dose maintenance phase for 48 weeks was feasible in children with Stage III melanoma and was associated with tolerable toxicity. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source]

Mature results of a phase III randomized trial of bacillus Calmette,Guerin (BCG) versus observation and BCG plus dacarbazine versus BCG in the adjuvant therapy of American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I,III melanoma (E1673),,

CANCER, Issue 8 2004
A trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
Abstract BACKGROUND The local and systemic effects of bacillus Calmette,Guerin (BCG) have been known for decades. To investigate the adjuvant effect of BCG on resected American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage I,III melanoma, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group conducted a large trial to study the use of BCG alone or a combination of BCG and dacarbazine between 1974 and 1978. METHODS A total of 734 patients were randomized to 4 clinical groups consolidated into 2 cohorts. Cohort I compared BCG with observation and Cohort II compared BCG with a combination of BCG and dacarbazine. The primary end points were survival time and time to disease progression. RESULTS Within Cohort I, no statistically significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.84) or overall survival (OS) (5-year survival 67% vs. 62%; P = 0.40) was observed between BCG treatment and observation. Within Cohort II, the addition of dacarbazine to BCG did not improve DFS (P = 0.74) or OS (P = 0.81) compared with BCG alone. Toxicity was mild to moderate in both cohorts. Although toxicity with this agent is mild, the use of BCG is associated with the development of punctate abscesses in greater than two-thirds of patients treated. CONCLUSIONS In what to our knowledge is the largest ever trial to test the role of BCG as adjuvant therapy for melanoma, no benefit for BCG was observed for patients with AJCC Stage I,III disease. The mature results of the current trial projected to 30 years confirmed the negative results of previous smaller studies utilizing this agent. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society. [source]