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Evidence summaries

Interferon Alpha for the Adjuvant Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma

Adjuvant interferon alpha is effective for the treatment of people with high-risk cutaneous melanoma in terms of both disease-free survival and overall survival. Level of evidence: "A"

The use of high-dose alpha interferon is recommended as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of people with high-risk (AJCC TNM stages II-III) cutaneous melanoma.

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 18 RCTs with a total of 10,499 participants. The results from 17 of 18 of these RCTs, published between 1995 and 2011, were suitable for meta-analysis and allowed us to quantifying the therapeutic efficacy of interferon in terms of disease-free survival (17 trials) and overall survival (15 trials). Adjuvant interferon was associated with significantly improved disease-free survival (HR (hazard ratio) = 0.83; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.87, P < 0.00001) and overall survival (HR = 0.91; 95% CI 0.85 to 0.97; P value = 0.003). Adverse events included fever and fatigue, but toxicity disappeared after treatment discontinuation.

    References

    • Mocellin S, Lens MB, Pasquali S et al. Interferon alpha for the adjuvant treatment of cutaneous melanoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;(6):CD008955. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords