{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,20]],"date-time":"2026-05-20T15:35:12Z","timestamp":1779291312653,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"American Medical Association (AMA)","issue":"5","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JAMA Dermatol"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]},"abstract":"\n Importance<\/jats:title>\n Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains one of the most common cancers affecting the general population. It is generally cleared surgically, yet it is challenging to manage recurrent disease, locally advanced disease, or disease in anatomically sensitive areas among patients, with few options available.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To assess whether intralesional interleukin 2 (iIL-2) can effectively treat patients with high-risk or cosmetically sensitive cSCC.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Design, Setting, and Participants<\/jats:title>\n This case series took place at a single high-volume referral center for surgical oncology and intralesional immunotherapy for melanoma between 2017 and 2024. The center had considerable experience treating patients with locoregionally advanced melanoma using iIL-2, with high clinical efficacy and low treatment-related toxic effects. Patients referred to the immunotherapy program had histologically confirmed cSCC and failed prior surgical attempts or comorbidities that made them not candidates for surgery. Additionally, some patients had cSCC in cosmetically sensitive sites and were referred for a trial of intralesional immunotherapy prior to surgery.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Exposure<\/jats:title>\n \n Intralesional IL-2 was administered biweekly at a concentration of 0.1 mL\/2 mm\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n to clinically positive lesions (500\u202f000 IU\/0.1 mL), and responses were recorded according to Immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria. Injections were continued while patients responded and were stopped if any evidence of disease progression occurred.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Main Outcomes and Measures<\/jats:title>\n The main outcome was progression-free survival, defined as time from last follow-up or progression for the cohort. Adverse events were also observed.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Among 16 patients with cSCC (mean [range] age, 79 [59-99] years; 9 [56%] male) who received iIL-2, the mean (range) number of treatments was 10 (2-32) and treatment duration was 13 (2-32) months. Progression-free survival was 19 months (range, 1-77 months), with a complete response rate of 81% (13 patients). Only grade 1\/2 adverse events were observed.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions and Relevance<\/jats:title>\n In this case series, IL-2\u2013based immunotherapy was effective in the treatment of cSCC. With the degree of complete response observed, iIL-2 should be considered an option for patients with considerable comorbidities or with cSCC in highly sensitive areas. Additionally, given its low cost compared to systemic immunotherapy and ease of use, iIL-2 represents an option in cost-prohibitive settings. Further randomized trials are required to fully elucidate these findings.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1001\/jamadermatol.2026.0181","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,18]],"date-time":"2026-03-18T15:31:03Z","timestamp":1773847863000},"page":"503","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Intralesional Interleukin-2 Therapy for Treatment of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma"],"prefix":"10.1001","volume":"162","author":[{"given":"Carman Anthony","family":"Giacomantonio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dejan","family":"Vidovic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brianne","family":"Cruickshank","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"10","reference":[{"issue":"4770","key":"dbr260001r1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1318","DOI":"10.1126\/science.3489291","article-title":"A new approach to the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.","volume":"233","author":"Rosenberg","year":"1986","journal-title":"Science"},{"issue":"2-3","key":"dbr260001r2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/S0162-3109(97)00041-6","article-title":"Vascular leak syndrome: a side effect of immunotherapy.","volume":"37","author":"Baluna","year":"1997","journal-title":"Immunopharmacology"},{"issue":"3","key":"dbr260001r3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e318","DOI":"10.3747\/co.27.6523","article-title":"Locoregional management of in-transit metastasis in melanoma: an Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) clinical practice guideline.","volume":"27","author":"Wright","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr Oncol"},{"issue":"4","key":"dbr260001r4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1177\/1203475420988862","article-title":"Durability of complete response to intralesional interleukin-2 for in-transit melanoma.","volume":"25","author":"Khoury","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Cutan Med Surg"},{"issue":"4","key":"dbr260001r5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1002\/jso.23556","article-title":"Intra-lesional interleukin-2 therapy for in transit melanoma.","volume":"109","author":"Temple-Oberle","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Surg Oncol"},{"key":"dbr260001r6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2023.1160269","article-title":"Abscopal responses in patients with metastatic melanoma involving skin and subcutaneous tissues treated with intralesional IL2 plus BCG.","volume":"13","author":"Vidovic","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Oncol"},{"issue":"6","key":"dbr260001r7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1950","DOI":"10.1245\/s10434-014-4199-z","article-title":"Pathologic complete response to intralesional interleukin-2 therapy associated with improved survival in melanoma patients with in-transit disease.","volume":"22","author":"Hassan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann Surg Oncol"},{"issue":"5","key":"dbr260001r8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1321","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers12051321","article-title":"Insights into the molecular mechanisms behind intralesional immunotherapies for advanced melanoma.","volume":"12","author":"Vidovic","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cancers (Basel)"},{"issue":"6","key":"dbr260001r9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"744","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1524-4725.2011.01973.x","article-title":"The role of sirolimus in the prevention of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in organ transplant recipients.","volume":"37","author":"Leblanc","year":"2011","journal-title":"Dermatol Surg"},{"issue":"1","key":"dbr260001r11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajo.2010.08.047","article-title":"Appropriate use and reporting of uncontrolled case series in the medical literature.","volume":"151","author":"Kempen","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"1","key":"dbr260001r12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1007\/s40123-025-01267-z","article-title":"From scalpel to syringe: intralesional interleukin-2-based therapy is effective for locally advanced periocular cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.","volume":"15","author":"Seddigh","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ophthalmol Ther"},{"issue":"S2","key":"dbr260001r13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.33594\/000000433","article-title":"Oh, the mutations you\u2019ll acquire! a systematic overview of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.","volume":"55","author":"Droll","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cell Physiol Biochem"},{"issue":"17","key":"dbr260001r14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1557","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2209813","article-title":"Neoadjuvant cemiplimab for stage II to IV cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.","volume":"387","author":"Gross","year":"2022","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"dbr260001r10","unstructured":"Hendrix? JM, Garmon? EH. American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2025. Accessed December 3, 2025. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK441940\/"}],"container-title":["JAMA Dermatology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamadermatology\/articlepdf\/2845994\/jamadermatology_giacomantonio_2026_br_260001_1779281434.89844.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,20]],"date-time":"2026-05-20T15:00:32Z","timestamp":1779289232000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamadermatology\/fullarticle\/2845994"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]},"references-count":14,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1001\/jamadermatol.2026.0181","relation":{},"ISSN":["2168-6068"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2168-6068","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]}}}