Therapeutic studies with cross‐transplant cross‐transfusion were begun in 1966 and have included 56 patients with melanoma, 2 with renal cell carcinoma, 3 with osteogenic sarcoma, 2 with colon cancer, and 1 with synovial sarcoma. Minced fragments of viable tumor were implanted subcutaneously into ABO‐Rh matched pairs with similar tumor on days 1 and 10, followed on the 14th day by 3–10 daily cross‐transfusions of plasma and white blood cells. Subsequently, intradermal implants of viable tumor cells grown in tissue culture have been used, some with added BCG. Complete responses have occurred in 3 patients with melanoma lasting 12, 46, and 51 months; the latter 2 remain alive and well. Partial response occurred in 6 others. Three melanoma patients with a poor prognosis were immunized prophylactically following primary surgical treatment. These 3 developed antibodies (shown by flourescence) against their tumor and remained free of disease—1 for 2 years and 2 for 1 year. Complications have mainly resulted from transfusion incompatibility. Transfer factor is now being used to avoid this problem. Two patients died following the seventh transfusion from complications probably related to treatment.
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