Interferon-alpha treatment may negatively influence disease progression in melanoma patients by hyperactivation of STAT3 protein

• Authors: HUMPOLIKOVA-ADAMKOVA, L L.; KOVARIK J.; DUŠEK Ladislav; LAUEROVA L.; BOUDNY V.; FAIT V.; FOJTOVA M.; KREJCI E.; KOVARIK A.
• Year of publication: 2009
• Type: Article in Periodical
• Magazine / Source: European Journal of Cancer
• MU Faculty or unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Field: Oncology and hematology
• Keywords: Malignant melanoma; Interferons; STAT3 activation; Disease outcome
• Description: Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is an important drug used in anti-melanoma therapy. However, metastases eventually reappear in almost 60% of melanoma patients, who have received adjuvant cytokine therapy suggesting that IFN-alpha can paradoxically promote disease progression in some cases, at least. In this study, we have investigated the possibility that a growth-promoting STAT3 protein might be activated by interferon-alpha in melanoma cells.