Dose Finding Study of Aerosolized GM-CSF in the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma to the Lung

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine immunomodulatory effects of aerosolized sargramostim (GM-CSF) in patients with metastatic melanoma to the lung (part A).
• Determine toxicity profile of this therapy, in terms of pulmonary and hematologic toxicity, in these patients.
• Determine, preliminarily, the therapeutic effects of this therapy, in terms of progression-free survival, overall survival, and objective response rate, in these patients.
• Determine the maximum tolerated dose of GM-CSF in these patients (part B).

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation, multicenter study.

Patients receive aerosolized sargramostim (GM-CSF) twice a day on days 1-7 and 15-21. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 2 courses. Patients with no disease progression after completion of course 2 may continue on treatment until disease progression. Patients are grouped to 1 of 2 dose-escalation regimens (part A vs B).

• Part A: Cohorts of 5-10 patients receive escalating doses of GM-CSF until the optimal immunostimulatory dose (ISD) is determined. The optimal ISD is defined as the dose at which at least 7 of 10 patients experience immunostimulation. Once the optimal ISD is determined, 10 patients receive aerosolized GM-CSF at a dose halfway between the optimal ISD and the preceding dose. Dose escalation is discontinued if at least 2 of 5 or at least 4 of 10 patients on a particular dose level experience dose-limiting toxicity.
• Part B: Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of GM-CSF until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. At least 6 patients are treated at the MTD.