Immunotherapy of melanoma: current status and prospects for the future

As one of the most immunogenic human malignancies, melanoma has served as a prototype for the development of immunotherapy against human cancer in a number of treatment modalities over the past two decades. These studies have included augmentation of host immunity with lymphokines and other biological response modifiers, lymphokine-activated killer cells, and cytotoxic T-cells; active immunotherapy using purified antigens, tumor cell vaccines, and anti-id antibodies; and passive immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies. The results of these investigations are discussed as well as the prospect for future treatments of melanoma incorporating immunotherapeutic techniques. A report on a recent trial of gene therapy of human melanoma performed by Dr. Steven Rosenberg is also presented.