RATIONALE: Chemoprevention therapy is the use of certain drugs to try to prevent the development or recurrence of cancer. The use of tretinoin and/or fenretinide may be an effective way to prevent the recurrence or further development of dysplastic nevus syndrome. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of tretinoin with or without fenretinide in treating patients with dysplastic nevus syndrome.
OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the efficacy (clinical and histologic evidence of regression) of topical tretinoin with or without systemic fenretinide in patients with dysplastic nevi with personal or family history of cutaneous melanoma. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind study. Patients are stratified according to personal history of cutaneous melanoma vs family history of cutaneous melanoma in at least 2 blood relatives. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive topical tretinoin twice daily and oral fenretinide once a day for 6 months. Tretinoin is applied to one half of the back with the untreated side of the back serving as a matched control. Arm II: Patients receive topical tretinoin as in arm I twice daily and oral placebo once a day for 6 months. Treatment continues in both arms in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed at 6 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: There will be 38 patients accrued for this study.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Enrollment
38
University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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