Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Melanoma That Has Metastasized to Lymph Nodes in the Neck, Under the Arm, or in the Groin

June 20, 2023 updated by: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

A Prospective Randomized Phase III Clinical Trial Assessing the Role of Post-Operative Radiotherapy Plus Adjuvant Interferon Alpha-2b in Patients With Cervical, Axillary, and Inguinal Nodal Metastasis From Cutaneous Melanoma

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Interferon alfa-2b may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. It is not yet known whether giving radiation therapy with interferon alfa-2b is more effective than giving interferon alfa-2b alone in treating melanoma.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of radiation therapy plus interferon alfa-2b with that of interferon alfa-2b alone in treating patients who have melanoma that has metastasized to lymph nodes in the neck, under the arm, or in the groin.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy in combination with high dose interferon in preventing regional relapse in patients with malignant melanoma with any number of nodes with clinical extracapsular extension or previous nodal basin recurrence. II. Evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy in prolonging relapse free and overall survival in this patient population. III. Evaluate the toxicity of this therapy in this patient population.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified according to prior nodal basin recurrence, site of disease, and extracapsular extension. Following surgery, patients are randomized to receive either interferon alfa-2b alone or five treatments of radiotherapy followed by interferon alfa-2b. Patients receive radiotherapy 2 days a week for 2.5 weeks. Patients receive interferon alfa-2b IV over 20 minutes daily for 5 days for a total of 28 days, followed by subcutaneous injections 3 times a week for 48 weeks. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 years, then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 167 patients will be accrued for this study within 3 years.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

167

Phase

  • 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

    • Georgia
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322
        • Emory University Hospital - Atlanta
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033
        • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Atlanta (Decatur)
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Lakeside)
      • Decatur, Illinois, United States, 62526
        • CCOP - Central Illinois
      • Peoria, Illinois, United States, 61602
        • CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
    • Iowa
      • Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States, 52403-1206
        • CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02111
        • New England Medical Center Hospital
    • Michigan
      • Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, 49007-3731
        • CCOP - Kalamazoo
    • Minnesota
      • Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55805
        • CCOP - Duluth
      • Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, United States, 55416
        • CCOP - Metro-Minnesota
    • New Jersey
      • East Orange, New Jersey, United States, 07018-1095
        • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - East Orange
      • Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
        • Hackensack University Medical Center
      • Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
        • CCOP - Northern New Jersey
      • Red Bank, New Jersey, United States, 07701
        • Riverview Medical Center
    • New York
      • Albany, New York, United States, 12208
        • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Albany
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106-5065
        • Ireland Cancer Center
    • Pennsylvania
      • Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822-2001
        • CCOP - Geisinger Clinical and Medical Center
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
        • University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15215
        • UPMC St. Margaret
    • Wisconsin
      • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53226
        • Medical College of Wisconsin
      • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53295
        • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Milwaukee (Zablocki)

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically documented malignant melanoma in node(s) meeting one or more of the following criteria: 1 or more lymph nodes found to contain metastatic melanoma with gross evidence of extracapsular nodal extension Nodal recurrence at the site of previous lymphadenectomy All gross cancer removed with negative margins Prior node biopsy allowed if complete nodal dissection performed Parotid involvement outside a node allowed No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 4,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 125,000/mm3 Hematocrit at least 33% Hepatic: AST no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) LDH no greater than 2 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN Bilirubin no greater than 2 times ULN If LDH or alkaline phosphatase are above normal, CT or MRI of liver required Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL BUN no greater than 33 mg/dL Other: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other prior or concurrent malignancies within 2 years, except any carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma of the breast in situ, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, atypical melanocytic hyperplasia or Clark I melanoma in situ, or basal or squamous cell skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior interferon Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy to the head and neck, axillary, or inguinal areas Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Recovered from prior surgery

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

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Maury M. Rosenstein, MD, UPMC Cancer Center at UPMC St. Margaret

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 (Actual)

March 29, 1999

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2003

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 1, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2004

First Posted (Estimated)

May 24, 2004

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 22, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 20, 2023

Last Verified

June 1, 2023

More Information

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.

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