Abstract
Eighteen patients with advanced metastatic malignant melanoma (stage IV UICC1987) were entered into a prospective trial with a combination of systemic fibroblast interferon-β and recombinant interferon-γ. Treatment was performed over a 6-week period with 3 × 5 × 106 U i.v. interferon-β and 5 × 100 μg s.c. interferon-γ every week. Under this therapy 16 patients showed a progressive disease, and 2 patients had a stable disease. The median time of survival was 7.5 months. Successive immunological examinations showed no significant immunomodulating effect after the 6 weeks of interferon treatment. We conclude that the combination of interferon-β and -γ is insufficient in the treatment of advanced metastatic malignant melanoma when administered by this dose, route and schedule.