Perilesional treatment of metastatic melanoma with interferon-beta

Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009 Oct;34(7):793-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2009.03207.x. Epub 2009 May 5.

Abstract

Previous trials with various treatments have not shown satisfactory therapeutic results for cutaneous metastasis of malignant melanoma (MM). We report three patients who were treated with peritumoral injection of interferon (IFN)-beta for multiple skin metastases of MM. The metastatic tumours were infiltrated by significant numbers of CD8+ TIA+ cytotoxic lymphocytes, and the numbers of CD4+ cells and human leucocyte antigen-DR+ cells increased after IFN-beta injection. These results suggest that the peritumoral administration of IFN-beta enhanced the antitumour immune response against the MM, suggesting that it is a promising supportive treatment for skin metastasis of MM.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Drug Evaluation / methods
  • Female
  • HLA-DR Antigens / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intralesional
  • Interferon-beta / pharmacology
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use*
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / drug effects
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / secondary*
  • Middle Aged
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / secondary*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • Interferon-beta