Treatment
Immunotherapy: Biochemotherapy

-Introduction
-Interferons
  -High & Low-Dose Interferon
  -Side Effects of Interferon
-Interleukin-2
  -Side Effects of Interleukin-2
-Biochemotherapy
-Vaccine Therapy
  -Tumor Cell Vaccines
  -Tumor-Associated Antigen Vaccines
-Monoclonal Antibodies

Biochemotherapy is the use of immunotherapy in conjunction with chemotherapy. Clinical trials are evaluating the effectiveness of biochemotherapy as an adjuvant treatment for high-risk melanoma and as stand-alone treatment for advanced melanoma. Recent studies suggest that biochemotherapy may shrink tumors more effectively than single-agent or combination chemotherapy. There is no evidence that biochemotherapy is more effective at extending overall survival than single-agent chemotherapy, combination chemotherapy,1 or single-agent immunotherapy.2

References
1Atkins MB. Interleukin-2: clinical applications. Semin Oncol. 2002;29:12-17.
2Keilholz U, Martus P, Punt CJ, Kruit W, Mooser G, Schadendorf D, Lienard D, Dummer R, Koller J, Voit C, Eggermont AM. Prognostic factors for survival and factors associated with long-term remission in patients with advanced melanoma receiving cytokine-based treatments: second analysis of a randomised EORTC Melanoma Group trial comparing interferon-alpha2a (IFNalpha) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) with or without cisplatin. Eur J Cancer. 2002;38:1501-1511.