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[Immune modulators in the treatment of malignant melanoma]
The experience gained to date with immunomodulators used as therapeutical and adjuvant measures in the treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma is reviewed. In large studies no therapeutic effect has been shown for levamisole, DNCB and BCG preparations. The effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies, histamine type 2 receptor antagonists, thymus factors and mistletoe extracts cannot yet be assessed due to a lack of clinical studies. The recent use of the lymphokines: tumor-necrosis factor, interleukin 2 and interferons, has shown that tumor therapy with immunomodulators is possible, but many questions still remain to be answered, so that their use, especially as an adjuvant measure, should be restricted to controlled studies.
The experience gained to date with immunomodulators used as therapeutical and adjuvant measures in the treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma is reviewed. In large studies no therapeutic effect has been shown for levamisole, DNCB and BCG preparations. The effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies, histamine type 2 receptor antagonists, thymus factors and mistletoe extracts cannot yet be assessed due to a lack of clinical studies. The recent use of the lymphokines: tumor-necrosis factor, interleukin 2 and interferons, has shown that tumor therapy with immunomodulators is possible, but many questions still remain to be answered, so that their use, especially as an adjuvant measure, should be restricted to controlled studies.