SUMMARY
Antibodies against the cytoplasm of malignant melanoma cells have been found formerly to be circulating in our patients with primary malignant melanoma before metastases had developed. We have found now this same antibody in fifteen patients with resolving halo naevi. It disappears once resolution of the naevus is complete or after a solitary active halo naevus has been excised.
However, cytoplasmic antibody has not been detected in the serum of any other patients with cutaneous pigmentary disorders: including fifty‐six with various pigmented tumours or naevi, many of them referred to us as suspected malignant melanoma; forty‐seven with vitiligo unassociated with halo naevi; and six with benign juvenile melanoma.
We postulate that:
Halo naevus represents an accelerated and successful rejection phase of a pigmented mole developing malignant change.
There are at least two aetiological types of vitiligo, the common variety and another one associated specifically with halo naevus, perhaps initiated by the same immunological stimulus or its sequelae.
Juvenile (benign) melanoma is not related immunologically to malignant melanoma.
Summary.-Fifty-six patients with disseminated malignant melanoma were randomly allocated to two treatment groups. The first group C received combination chemotherapy consisting of DTIC and ICRF 159. The second group (C + I) received the same chemotherapy but were also immunized with 2 x 107 irradiated allogeneic melanoma cells mixed with 50 ,ug of percutaneous BCG. The survival rates in both treatment groups C and (C + I) were not significantly different, and only minor enhancement of the chemotherapy was found in the (C + 1) group. A similar pattern of tissue response was observed in both groups: lymph node, skin and, to some extent liver metastases, respond better than other sites.THE CURRENT treatments for disseminated malignant melanoma are unsatisfactory. Analysis of the patients followed up at the Westminster Hospital in the pretrial period showed that the 2-and 5-year survivals for Stage IIb were 51°/ and 200% respectively. The
Novobiocin appears to be the first recorded example of the natural occurrence of a carbamate ester of a sugar derivative.The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Drs.
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