Sequential treatment with interferon and chemotherapy of metastatic malignant melanoma. Total remission of cutaneous and visceral metastasis, but not of cerebral metastasis.

A woman 35 years of age suffering from cutaneous and visceral metastatic melanoma was treated with recombinant Interferon alpha 2b (rIFN alpha 2b) subcutaneously 3 X 10(6) U/m2 3 times a week for 3 months with no apparent effect on the course of the illness. Two months after IFN therapy the patient developed cerebral metastasis. A cycle of carmustine, 100 mg/day for 3 days, was given, and complete disappearance of the cutaneous and visceral, but not of the cerebral manifestations was observed. Two consolidation cycles based on vincristine, dacarbazine and lomustine were then administered. The patient died 26 months after beginning treatment with IFN and 18 months after chemotherapy for the cerebral metastasis. No trace of tumor at the cutaneous or visceral level was found at autopsy.