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Melanoma treatment details. Biologic therapy, Immunotherapy.

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:4City/State/Province:Pittsburgh, PA
Treatments:Biologic therapy, ImmunotherapyHospital:University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Dec 2011

Description:

Patients:
This study involved 37 patients with stage IV melanoma. The median patient age was 56 years and 62% were male.

Treatment:

Patients were treated with the biologic therapy agent tremelimumab (a monoclonal antibody that binds to a protein called CTLA-4 and helps the immune system attack tumor cells) and the immunotherapy agent interferon-alpha (IFNa).

Toxicities:
The most severe toxicities were grade 4 diarrhea and changes in enzyme levels. Grade 3 fatigue (15 patients) and depression/anxiety (4) were also reported.

Results:
The median progression-free survival was 6.4 months and the median overall survival was 21 months.

Support:
This study was supported by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

Correspondence: Dr. Ahmad A. Tarhini; email: [email protected]



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