Neoadjuvant Combination Therapy With Ipilimumab and HighDose IFN-α2b for Melanoma

Neoadjuvant therapy allows new insights into melanoma and its biological and immunologic response to therapeutic interventions, such as ipilimumab. Neoadjuvant ipilimumab therapy for high-risk melanoma patients with bulky regional stage IIIB-C lymphadenopathy may result in improved clinical outcome in this group of patients that are more likely to respond to immunotherapeutic interventions and without increased morbidity. Through the design of neoadjuvant trials in which it is possible to obtain biopsy samples, a greater understanding of the dynamic interaction between tumors and the immune system is possible. This should lead to the identification of new targets for the treatment of melanoma and aid in the development of new combinations that may have greater efficacy and acceptable toxicity, to build on the clinical, immunologic, and molecular effect of this therapy for patients with melanoma.