The GERMELATOX DeCOG-trial: German melanoma patients and their attitude toward toxicity during adjuvant interferon treatment.

TPS9113^ Background: Although trials of adjuvant interferon alfa-2b (IFN alpha-2b) in high-risk melanoma patients suggest improvement in disease-free survival (DFS), a metaanalysis could only show a marginal OS survival benefit (OS). Widespread use of adjuvant IFN alpha-2b has been decreased by its significant toxicity.In 2001 Kilbridge et al. (J Clin Oncol 2001) asked US-patients about the degree of improvement in 5-year DFS they would expect to tolerate IFN. At least half of the patients were willing to tolerate mild to moderate and severe IFNa-2b toxicity for 4% and 10% improvements of DFS. On average, patients rated quality of life (QoL) with melanoma recurrence much lower than even severe IFNa-2b toxicity.To date, no data exist on willingness of German melanoma patients to be treated with IFNa-2b. In Germany, melanoma patients are managed by specialized skin cancer units mainly located in certified skin cancer centers and core university hospitals. The willingness of dermatologists to use IFN depends...