Management of recurrent melanoma of the extremity

Two forms of therapy employed for treatment of patients with recurrent melanoma limited to the extremity, and carried out during different intervals of time, are presented. Perfusion of the involved extremity with phenylalanine mustard has resulted in a 5-year survival rate of 28% of 43 patients. A second group of 25 patients has been treated by a four-stage immunotherapy program consisting of sensitization with intradermal BCG, followed in 6 weeks by intra tumor injection of BCG. A third stage involved the activation of the patients's lymphocytes, after removal by a blood cell separator, incubated in vitro with irradiated neuraminidase-treated melanoma cells and reintroduced into the patient either by subcutaneous or intratumor injection. The fourth stage of immunotherapy involves injection of an inoculum of irradiated neuraminidase-treated autochothonous tumor cells plus BCG injected intratumorally or subcutaneously. Sixteen of 24 patients receiving immunotherapy treatment program have experienced arrest of their disease lasting from 5 to 42 months.