Biochemotherapy with temozolomide, cisplatin, vinblastine, subcutaneous interleukin-2 and interferon-α in patients with metastatic melanoma

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of a biochemotherapy regimen, including low-dose subcutaneous interleukin-2 and temozolomide, in patients with metastatic melanoma. Treatment consisted of temozolomide (150 mg/m(2) per day on days 1-5), cisplatin (20 mg/m(2) per day intravenously on days 1-4), vinblastine (1.5 mg/m(2) per day on days 1-4), interleukin-2 (4.5 MU/m(2) per day subcutaneously on days 5-8) and interferon-alpha 2b (5 MU subcutaneously on days 5-9, 11, 13, 15, every 28 days). Thirty-six patients were included. Patients with poor prognostic factors were not excluded. Seventeen patients (47%) had been treated previously in an adjuvant setting with interferon-alpha. Four patients (11%) had been treated previously with chemotherapy and six (17%) had been treated with other biochemotherapy regimens. The distribution by American Joint Committee on Cancer staging was as follows: M1a in two patients (6%), M1b in 11 patients (31%) and M1c in 23 patients (64%). At inclusion, seven patients (19.4%) had cerebral metastases that had previously been treated with whole brain radiotherapy. For thirty-four evaluable patients, seven (20.5%) achieved an objective response. Overall, metastatic disease was substantially decreased or temporarily stabilized in 11 patients (32.4%; 95% confidence interval, 17.4-50.5). Responses were observed for all locations. The central nervous system was the initial site of relapse in two responding patients. The median survival was 10 months. The main toxicities noted were haematological (grades 3-4): neutropenia (1.8%), thrombocytopenia (1.8%) and anaemia (11.2%). It can be concluded that this regimen is well tolerated and has a modest activity despite the poor prognosis of our patient population. The low haematological toxicity rate obtained suggests that higher doses could be tried.