Thalidomide for melanoma – pro
Thalidomide appears to possess cytostatic activity in patients with metastatic melanoma. halidomide has antiangiogenic and biologic modulatory properties and has been used successfully in the treatment of Kaposi’s sarcoma, myeloma, and renal cell cancer. Thalidomide has been used in metastatic melanoma as a single agent with mixed results. There are a number of phase II studies that show effectiveness, singly and in combination. ne randomized phase II study and six phase II studies have shown encouraging response rates when thalidomide is combined with temozolomide.It is listed in the Drug Index for melanoma. Given the number of supporting studies, I consider thalidomide as a single agent for melanoma to be supported by credible medical evidence. NCCN ME-E, 1 lists thalidomide as a single drug option for melanoma but not in any combination.
Pawlak WZ, Legha SS.Phase II study of thalidomide in patients with metastatic melanoma.Melanoma Res. 2004 Feb;14(1):57-62.
nccn, melanoma 2013
Danson, S., Lorigan, P., Arance, A., Clamp, A., Ranson, M., Hodgetts, J., Lomax, L., Ashcroft, L., Thatcher, N., Middleton, M.R. (2003). Randomized Phase II Study of Temozolomide Given Every 8 Hours or Daily With Either Interferon Alfa-2b or Thalidomide in Metastatic Malignant Melanoma. JCO 21: 2551-2557
Eisen T, Boshoff C, Mak I, et al: Continuous low dose thalidomide: A phase II study in advanced melanoma, renal cell, ovarian and breast cancer. Br J Cancer 14:17–20, 2000 (suppl 13)
Kudva G, Collins BT, Dunphy FR: Thalidomide for malignant melanoma. N Engl J Med 345:1214–1215, 2
Quirt I, Verma S, Petrella T, Bak K, Charette M, Melanoma Disease Site Group. Temozolomide for the treatment of metastatic melanoma: a clinical practice guideline. Toronto (ON): Cancer Care Ontario (CCO); 2006 Mar 20. 25 p. (Evidence-based series; no. 8-4). [38 references]