Abstract
The role of adjuvant therapy in the treatment of patients with high-risk malignant melanoma remains an area of intense investigation. The initial enthusiasm for high-dose interferon has been tempered by the results of more recent studies that allow for conflicting interpretations. Vaccine therapy trials have failed to clearly demonstrate a survival benefit, although several trials are currently ongoing. Recent studies of the role of chemotherapy suggest there may be combinations that have a survival benefit which deserve further study. This article will address patient selection and staging workup, and review options for treatment.
Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
MeSH terms
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Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
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Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use
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Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
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Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use
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Humans
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Interferons / administration & dosage
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Interferons / therapeutic use
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Melanoma / pathology
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Melanoma / secondary
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Melanoma / therapy*
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Neoadjuvant Therapy*
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Neoplasm Staging
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Patient Selection
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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Risk Factors
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Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
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Skin Neoplasms / pathology
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Skin Neoplasms / therapy*
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Survival Rate
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Tomography, Emission-Computed
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Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents
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Cancer Vaccines
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Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
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Interferons