The GERMELATOX DeCOG-trial: Attitude of German melanoma patients towards toxicity during adjuvant interferon treatment—Differences between the patient's and the physician's perspective.

e20099 Background: Although trials of adjuvant interferon alfa-2b (IFNa-2b) in high-risk melanoma patients suggest improvement in disease-free survival (DFS), metaanalyses showed only a marginal overall survival benefit. Widespread use of IFNa-2b has decreased for its significant toxicity. This study addressed for the first time the attitudes and choice-based preferences of German patients and physicians for adjuvant treatment with IFNa-2b. Methods: In this multicenter trial („GERMELATOX trial“) we assessed preferences and utilities for health outcomes associated with IFN among melanoma patients (T1a, AJCC stage I, no IFN), and dermatooncologists from 10 German melanoma units using the standard gamble technique. The trial described four typical IFNa-2b side effect scenarios and three post-treatment outcomes: no relapse or melanoma recurrence (with or without IFNa-2b) leading to cancer death. We also asked patients and physicians about the improvement in 5-year DFS they would require to tolerate defined IF...