Effect of Interferon-α-2b and Interleukin-2 Combined with Chemotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma

BACKGROUND: To explore the efficacy , safety of interferon-alpha-2b and interleukin-2 combined with chemotherapy in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.METHODS: The patients with metastatic melanoma in control group (n=52) were treated with conventional DDAVC chemotherapy regimen, while those in combination group (n=52) received biotherapy with interferon-alpha-2b and interleukin-2 in addition to the chemotherapy in control group. At the end of the treatments, the serum immune function indicators, short-term efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups of patients , patient's survival was followed up and recorded.RESULTS: At 1 week after treatment, it was found that the overall response rate in combination group was substantially higher than that in control group (P=0.027). Besides, according to the serologic test results at 1 week after the chemotherapy, T lymphocyte subset activity was enhanced in patients in combination group compared with that before chemotherapy, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05), but it was notably weakened in control group in comparison with that before chemotherapy (P<0.05). Finally, it was discovered through the log-rank test that the overall survival (OS) rate in combination group was remarkably superior to that in control group (P=0.029), but there was no statistically significant difference in the progression-free survival (PFS) rate between the two groups (P=0.076).CONCLUSIONS: Compared with chemotherapy alone, interferon-alpha-2b and interleukin-2 combined with chemotherapy can raise the clinical short-term efficacy and long-term OS rate in the patients with metastatic melanoma and alleviate their toxic side reactions, with higher safety.