Document 0034
 DOCN  M95A0034
 TI    Perspectives of cytokine treatment in malignant skin tumors.
 DT    9510
 AU    Garbe C; University Department of Dermatology, Medical Center Steglitz,;
       Free University of Berlin, Germany.
 SO    Recent Results Cancer Res. 1995;139:349-69. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95320446
 AB    Cytokines have been tested in the treatment of different skin cancers
       during the last decade, and treatment schedules have been established or
       proposed for several malignant skin tumors. Preferentially, the
       interferons and interleukin-2 were found to be effective in treating
       skin cancers. Interferons alpha and beta have been approved for the
       treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated Kaposi's
       sarcoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and malignant melanoma in several
       countries. Interferon alpha was found to be most effective in cutaneous
       T cell lymphoma with 40%-60% overall responses. When combining
       interferon alpha with psoralens and ultraviolet A (PUVA) or with
       retinoids, even higher response rates up to 60%-90% were reported, and
       long-term remissions have been described. A considerable activity of
       interferon alpha was found in HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma with
       response rates of 30%-50%. The effectiveness of Kaposi's sarcoma's
       treatment was further improved by combining interferon alpha and
       zidovudine. Responses to interferon alpha in metastatic malignant
       melanoma are rather seldom (10%-15%), but a stabilization of the disease
       with prolonged survival was reported after interferon alpha treatment.
       Additionally, interleukin-2 was found to be active in metastatic
       melanoma, with overall response rates of about 20%, and both biological
       agents were found to have an additive efficacy in combination. Several
       combined regimens of interferon alpha, interleukin-2, and
       polychemotherapy have been described in metastatic melanoma, and overall
       response rates higher than 50% were found with these combined treatment
       modalities. Interferon alpha and beta were also intralesionally injected
       into basal cell carcinomas and other epithelial skin cancers, and
       complete responses were found in more than 80% of tumors treated. Local
       applications of interferons and interleukin-2 were likewise found to be
       effective in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma metastases and
       cutaneous manifestations of Kaposi's sarcoma. Cytokines and their
       combination with other treatment modalities has greatly enriched the
       treatment facilities in malignant skin tumors during recent years, and
       additional new cytokines will be introduced in skin cancer treatment in
       near future.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS  Biological Response
       Modifiers/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/  *THERAPEUTIC USE  Clinical Trials
       Cytokines/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Forecasting  Human
       Injections, Intralesional  Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/THERAPY
       Melanoma/THERAPY  Sarcoma, Kaposi's/ETIOLOGY/THERAPY  Skin
       Neoplasms/*THERAPY  JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW, ACADEMIC

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).