Mistletoe Extract May Not Benefit Melanoma Patients

Mistletoe Extract May Not Benefit Melanoma Patients

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom--Scientists in Europe who conducted ameta-analysis on the use of mistletoe extract on melanoma found that theextract's benefits may not outweigh its risks. Using endpoints such asdisease-free survival and overall survival, researchers analyzed 10 trials of3,700 patients who had used mistletoe extract, also called interferon-[alpha] (IFN).For those who experienced disease-free survival, there was a significant benefitderived from using IFN. However, the extract did not appear beneficial foroverall survival. Also, there was no statistically significant evidence that IFNwas better in larger doses than smaller ones. The researchers, led by KeithWheatley from the University of Birmingham, concluded that IFN use should bepredicated on the importance of disease-free survival compared to overallsurvival, quality of life and financial cost. This research was presented May 14at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (www.asco.org).