High dose Interferon-α2b (HDI): Toxicity, response, and predictive markers in a neoadjuvant trial for regional lymph node metastatic melanoma

Abstract
7517 Background: High-dose interferon-α2b (HDI) is the only adjuvant therapy to show consistently significant clinical benefit in resected high-risk melanoma, as tested in randomized multicenter cooperative group trials. However, the mechanism of HDI action remains uncertain, and definition of its mechanism and response markers would allow improvement upon this therapy. Neoadjuvant application of interferon may improve surgical resectability, treatment responsiveness, and enable identification of surrogate endpoints for therapy. We investigated neoadjuvant HDI in patients (pts) with palpable regional lymph node positive melanoma (AJCC Stage IIIB and IIIC) to assess the feasibility, efficacy, and molecular-histological predictors of clinical outcome. Methods: Consenting pts with palpable biopsy-proven regional lymph node metastasis received one month of daily intravenous HDI followed by lymphadenectomy and standard maintenance HDI for one year. Responses were assessed clinically, pathologically, and radiog...

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