Interferon Alfa-2b in Treating Patients With Melanoma and Early Lymph Node Metastasis

January 16, 2014 updated by: University of Alabama at Birmingham

A Multicenter Trial of Adjuvant Interferon Alfa-2b for Melanoma Patients With Early Lymph Node Metastasis Detected by Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

RATIONALE: Interferon alfa-2b may interfere with the growth of cancer cells.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to study the effectiveness of interferon alfa-2b in treating patients who have melanoma with early lymph node metastasis.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

  • Compare the efficacy of regional lymphadenectomy with or without adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b on disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with invasive cutaneous melanoma with early or submicroscopic sentinel lymph node metastasis detected by histology or immunohistochemistry or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  • Compare the effect of lymphadenectomy vs observation on disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with submicroscopic sentinel lymph node metastasis detected only by PCR.
  • Determine the recurrence rate and survival of patients with submicroscopic sentinel lymph node metastasis detected only by PCR.
  • Determine the positive and negative predictive value of reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of sentinel lymph nodes and peripheral blood to identify patients at risk for recurrence and death.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients in the randomized portions of Protocols A and B are stratified according to tumor thickness (1-2 mm vs 3-4 mm vs greater than 4 mm) and tumor ulceration (yes vs no).

All patients undergo wide local tumor excision with lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy. Patients with tumors with ambiguous drainage patterns undergo lymphoscintigraphy prior to tumor excision. Patients with evidence of metastatic melanoma in the sentinel node(s) by routine histology, serial sectioning, or immunohistochemistry and who have undergone a prior regional lymph node dissection proceed to protocol A.

  • Protocol A: Patients with metastasis in a single sentinel node with no evidence of extracapsular extension and no metastatic disease in nonsentinel nodes are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

    • Arm I: Patients receive adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b IV 5 days a week for 4 weeks, then subcutaneously 3 times a week for 48 weeks.
    • Arm II: Patients undergo observation. Patients with metastases in more than one sentinel node with evidence of extracapsular extension or metastasis in any nonsentinel node receive adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b as in arm I.

Patients with no evidence of sentinel node(s) metastases by routine histology, serial sectioning, and immunohistochemistry and are negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis are observed.

  • Protocol B: Patients with positive sentinel node(s) by PCR analysis are randomized to one of three treatment arms.

    • Arm I: Patients undergo observation.
    • Arm II: Patients undergo lymph node dissection.
    • Arm III: Patients undergo lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b IV 5 days a week for 4 weeks.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 3,000 patients will be accrued for this study within 5 years.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
3000

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294-3300
        • University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • Kentucky
      • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202
        • James Graham Brown Cancer Center at University of Louisville
    • New Jersey
      • New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, 08903
        • Cancer Institute Of New Jersey
    • New York
      • Buffalo, New York, United States, 14263-0001
        • Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Histologically confirmed invasive cutaneous melanoma

    • Breslow thickness at least 1.0 mm
    • Primary site must be on head, neck, trunk or extremity
    • No more than 90 days since biopsy

  • Protocol A:

    • One or more sentinel lymph nodes with histologic or immunohistochemical evidence of metastatic melanoma
    • Prior regional lymph node dissection

  • Protocol B:

    • Sentinel lymph nodes with no histologic or immunohistochemical evidence of metastatic melanoma
    • Sentinel lymph node positive by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
  • No prior wide local excision of the primary tumor with a margin greater than 1.5 cm
  • No primary melanoma involving the eye or mucous membranes
  • No clinical evidence of satellite lesions or intransit, regional nodal, or distant metastases
  • No second primary invasive melanoma
  • No prior surgery in the region of the primary draining nodal basin that would disrupt normal lymphatic drainage patterns (e.g., skin grafts, tissue transfers or flaps, or lymph node dissections)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

  • 18 to 70

Performance status:

  • Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

  • At least 10 years

Hematopoietic:

  • WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
  • Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
  • Platelet count at least 70,000/mm^3
  • Hemoglobin at least 10.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

  • Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL
  • SGOT/SGPT less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Alkaline phosphatase less than 3 times ULN
  • No severe decompensated liver disease (e.g., cirrhosis or autoimmune hepatitis)
  • No other significant liver disease that would preclude study participation

Renal:

  • Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular:

  • No cardiovascular disease (e.g., angina or congestive heart failure)
  • No myocardial infarction within the past year
  • No tachyarrhythmias

Pulmonary:

  • No severe debilitating pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Other:

  • No hypersensitivity to interferon alfa-2b or related compounds or any component of the injection
  • No major depression or other major psychiatric illness
  • No thyroid disorder with thyroid function that is not maintained within the normal range with medications
  • No autoimmune disease
  • No primary or secondary immunodeficiencies
  • No severe diabetes mellitus prone to ketoacidosis
  • No significant retinal abnormalities
  • No evidence of infection
  • No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or stage I laryngeal cancer
  • No other medical condition that would preclude study participation
  • Not pregnant or nursing
  • Negative pregnancy test
  • Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after the study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

  • No prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

  • No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

  • At least 6 months since prior oral or parenteral steroids

Radiotherapy:

  • No prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

  • See Disease Characteristics
  • No prior organ transplantation

Other:

  • At least 6 months since prior immunosuppressants
  • No concurrent immunosuppressants resulting from prior organ transplantation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: AI
Patients with metastasis in a single sentinel node with no evidence of extracapsular extension and no metastatic disease in nonsentinel nodes are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. Patients receive adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b IV 5 days a week for 4 weeks, then subcutaneously 3 times a week for 48 weeks
Biological: recombinant interferon alfa
Experimental: Arm AII
Patients with metastasis in a single sentinel node with no evidence of extracapsular extension and no metastatic disease in nonsentinel nodes are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. Observational arm: Patients with metastases in more than one sentinel node with evidence of extracapsular extension or metastasis in any nonsentinel node receive adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b as in arm AI.
Biological: recombinant interferon alfa
Drug: Observation
Experimental: Arm BI
Patients with positive sentinel node(s) by PCR analysis are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Patients undergo observation. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.
Drug: Observation
Experimental: Arm B II
Patients with positive sentinel node(s) by PCR analysis are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Patients undergo lymph node dissection. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.
Procedure: lymphangiography
Experimental: Arm BIII

Patients with positive sentinel node(s) by PCR analysis are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Patients undergo lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant high-dose interferon alfa-2b IV 5 days a week for 4 weeks.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.
Biological: recombinant interferon alfa
Procedure: lymphangiography

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Marshall M. Urist, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 1999

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2004

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 21, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2003

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 27, 2003

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 20, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 16, 2014

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CDR0000067439
  • UAB-9735
  • UAB-F970925009
  • NCI-G99-1654
  • RPCI-DS-99-14

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings