Adjuvant immunotherapy of malignant melanoma

A vaccine made of irradiated Vibrio cholerae neuroaminidase (VCN) treated autochthonous tumor cells plus BCG was utilized in combination with surgery or with chemotherapy for Stage II and Stage III malignant melanoma, respectively. A few patients with Stage I melanoma were treated with surgery and BCG. Most of the studies were carried out on a prospective, randomized protocol. When the results with conventional therapy were compared with the results of conventional therapy plus immunotherapy, no beneficial effects of the immunotherapy were seen. Stratification insured comparability in both immunotherapy and nonimmunotherapy groups. We conclude that VCN treated tumor cells plus BCG, when administered according to the protocol utilized here, offer patients with malignant melanoma no substantial benefit when compared with conventional therapy.