Therapy of disseminated malignant melanoma with recombinant alpha 2b-interferon and piroxicam: clinical results with a report of an unusual response-associated feature (vitiligo) and unusual toxicity (diffuse pulmonary interstitial fibrosis).
Fifteen patients with disseminated malignant melanoma were treated with recombinant alpha 2b-interferon (20 mU/m2 intravenously 5 days per week for 4 weeks and then 10 mU/m2 subcutaneously tiw) and piroxicam (10 mg a day orally for 10 days prior to beginning interferon and daily thereafter). Two complete responses of soft tissue disease and stabilization of disease in two other patients were obtained. One complete response was associated with the development of vitiligo. One patient who had entered complete remission was removed from the study because of diffuse pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, believed due to therapy. The combination of alpha 2b-interferon and piroxicam offers no clinical advantage over the use of alpha 2b-interferon alone.