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Evidence-based and interdisciplinary consensus-based German guidelines : systemic medical treatment of melanoma in the adjuvant and palliative setting

Garbe, C. and Hauschild, A. and Volkenandt, M. and Schadendorf, D. and Stolz, W. and Reinhold, U. and Kortmann, R. D. and Kettelhack, C. and Frerich, B. and Keilholz, U. and Dummer, R. and Sebastian, G. and Tilgen, W. and Schuler, G. and Mackensen, A. and Kaufmann, R.. (2008) Evidence-based and interdisciplinary consensus-based German guidelines : systemic medical treatment of melanoma in the adjuvant and palliative setting. Melanoma research, Vol. 18, H. 2. pp. 152-160.

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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A6003507

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Abstract

Systemic medical treatment of melanoma is administered in the adjuvant and palliative setting. Adjuvant therapy may be considered in patients with primary melanoma with more than 1.5 mm tumor thickness and with regional node metastasis. Presently no indication for systemic adjuvant chemotherapy or for adjuvant therapy with nonspecific immune-stimulatory agents outside controlled studies is seen. Interferon-alpha is the first substance in the adjuvant therapy of melanoma, which has shown to present a significant advantage to the patients in some prospective randomized studies. Good arguments for using adjuvant interferon-alpha therapy in high-risk melanoma patients exist. Both high-dose and low-dose interferon-alpha show promise. The major indications for systemic chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy are inoperable recurrent tumors, inoperable regional metastases and distant metastases (stage IV). As treatment in such situations is primarily palliative, the effect of any regimen on the quality of life must be carefully weighed. As a first line treatment, single agent therapy is recommended, as polychemotherapy or biochemotherapy did not show significant advantages for prolongation of survival; hence they are more toxic. An urgent need for development of new treatment modalities is necessary and general principles of experimental immunotherapy are outlined.
Faculties and Departments:03 Faculty of Medicine > Bereich Operative Fächer (Klinik) > Ehemalige Einheiten Operative Fächer (Klinik) > Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie (Oertli)
03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Klinische Forschung > Bereich Operative Fächer (Klinik) > Ehemalige Einheiten Operative Fächer (Klinik) > Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie (Oertli)
UniBasel Contributors:Kettelhack, Christoph
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Rapid Communications
ISSN:0960-8931
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
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Last Modified:25 Apr 2014 08:01
Deposited On:25 Apr 2014 08:01

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