PI Decision

To determine whether Interleukin-2 at the dose and schedule will help to increase tumor shrinkage

In this phase II trial, the previously described IL-2 schedule (daily IL-2 for 5 days (per week) every 3 weeks) will be tested in a larger cohort of patients with melanoma to attempt to determine the response rate, median duration of response, and median survival. The dose intensity of this schedule would allow a patient treated on this regimen to achieve the target threshold (> 1440 million IU/m2/year).

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients must have a histologic diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. Patients may have received prior systemic therapy or may be previously untreated.
2. Patients must have bi-dimensional measurable disease on physical exam or radiologic studies.
3. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 and estimated survival of at least 3 months.
4. White blood count of > 3500/mm3, platelet count > 100,000/mm3, hemoglobin > 9.0 gm/dl; bilirubin, ALT, AST < 3 x upper limit of normal; serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dl.
5. Patients must undergo a low-level cardiac stress test as a screen for possible atherosclerotic heart disease. Patients with a positive stress test would be excluded from this trial.
6. Patients with elevated temperatures > 100.5 F must have sources of occult infection excluded.
7. Patients must be felt to have recovered from effects of prior therapy, such as > 2 weeks after prior chemotherapy.
8. Patient consent must be obtained prior to entrance onto study.
9. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test and must take adequate precautions to prevent pregnancy during treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Medical illness requiring corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agents (such as cyclosporin or methotrexate.
2. Autoimmune disease such as inflammatory arthritis which could be exacerbated by immune-based therapy.
3. Prior history of psychiatric disorder which could be exacerbated by interleukin-2.
4. Lactation or pregnancy.
5. Evidence of significant cardiovascular disease including history of recent (< 6 months prior) myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, primary cardiac arrhythmias (not due to electrolyte disorder or drug toxicity, for example) beyond occasional PVC's, angina, positive low-level stress test, or cerebrovascular accident.
6. Current brain metastasis.