Surgical management of malignant melanoma

SCOPUS: ed.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

UTILISATION LOCOREGIONALE DU TNF (TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR) DANS LE TRAITEMENT DU MELANOME MALIN

SCOPUS: sh.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Phase III adjuvant studies in operable malignant melanoma (review)

Adjuvant treatments following surgery include non-surgical and surgical approaches which should be compared to a randomized control. Between the years 1978 and 1986, we identified 21 randomized trials on stage I primary melanoma, using 2,850 patients. None of the systemic chemotherapy, immunotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy protocols improved the results. However, prophylactic isolation perfusion of the limbs with cytostatics represents a promising approach and is currently studied in our international prospective randomized trial (EORTC, WHO, NAPG-NCI) In stage II - regional metastases - 15 studies including 1972 patients have been reported. None of the systemic regimen was found efficient. The reasons for these failures are discussed and future approaches are presented.SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Harding Passey melanoma in the BALB/C mouse as a model for studying the interactions between host macrophages and tumor cells

Transplants and primary cultures of the Harding Passey Melanoma (HPM) were found to consist of melanocytes and host macrophages. A pure population of melanocytes (obtained by subculturing) produced tumors when ip injected into Balb/c mice. There was a progressive infiltration of the tumors by peritoneal macrophages (PM). Repeated inoculations of irradiated HPM cells ip induced in vivo a protection against HPM graft. In vitro spleen cells produced a nonspecific inhibition of thymidine uptake by HPM. Normal PM were found to exhibit a spontaneous nonspecific inhibition. This capacity was impaired in PM taken from immune animals 7 days after immunization and recovered 31 days after. The relevance of such findings to cell mediated immunity and lysosome function are discussed.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Surgery and radiotherapy for melanoma and skin neoplasms

SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Epidemiology and etiology of malignant melanoma

According to recent cancer epidemiology reports malignant melanoma in both sexes and lung carcinoma in females, are the only cancers of which the incidence continuously increases. In Australia, Northern Europe and Canada the incidence doubling time of malignant melanoma has been 10 to 20 years only. The highest incidence has been found in the State of Queensland, Australia, with an incidence of 32/100,000 inhabitants per year in males and 33.4/1000,000 in females. Moreover 1 of 3 persons is likely to develop skin cancer during life span in Queensland. The new habit of Whites to sun-bathe in sunny regions of the world seems to be in close relationship with the increased incidence of malignant melanoma. In addition, the hazard of skin cancer is higher in the south of U.S.A as compared with the north, where the UVB radiations is lower. Genetic factors seem to play a role in malignant melanoma. Patients having this tumour report sun-burn and freckling in a 4 fold higher frequency than non melanoma patients. Chemicals such as psoralens; used as photosensitizers, synthetic steroids and probably some cosmetics, may act as error prone carcinogenic agents in the presence of hv from UV light. This field of skin toxicology and carcinogenesis leads into to the way of new developments in cosmetics, including the design of efficient skin protectors. Therefore, future efforts in preventing further increase of malignant melanoma incidence should take into account the following: 1) UV irradiation is a causative factor of malignant melanoma; 2) the evidence of genetic propensity at developing malignant melanoma; 3) the increased use of chemicals and cosmetics with a photosensitizing effect - and possibly a photochemical carcinogenic effect - is an additional hazard; 4) the XXth century man will not give up sun-bathing. Therefore, future prevention of skin cancers will depend upon the development of new and efficient antisolar agents.SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Role of macrophages in immunity, with special reference to tumour immunology. A review

It appears that macrophages, which are present in most tissues, are involved in many steps of the immune reaction. They are essential for initiating the response and they assist the lymphocytes in several ways. By themselves they play an important role in the immune surveillance and in tumor immunology. The behavior of macrophages is strongly influenced by lymphocytes. However, macrophages are equipped with a special machinery, including an active membrane and a developed lysosomal system. A lot remains to be done on its function and on the trigger mechanisms.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Pattern of metastases distribution in 173 stage I or II melanoma patients

173 patients treated for melanoma (stage I or II) were followed up for 8 to 10 years. The distribution pattern of metastases discovered during the follow-up period was studied. The main localizations in order of decreasing frequency were: regional lymph nodes, local recurrences, skin metastases (including transit metastases), lung, liver, brain, bone, parotid, mediastinum, bowel, mesenterium, stomach, adrenals, larynx and ovary. The data strongly suggest that efficient follow-up of malignant melanoma patients should include regular X-rays, liver, bone and brain scans, and in some cases, laparoscopy.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Melanoma-associated antigens: Prospects for clinical use

Malignant melanomas, although less common than most malignancies, account for 1% of all cancers, and have been the subject of numerous new biological and clinical approaches reported in thousands of publications over the last 15 years. Their strong biological aggressiveness when they attain as little as 1.5 mm in thickness, and their persistent resistance to therapy when they spread - 80% failure to chemotherapy - make malignant melanomas one of the biggest challenges to therapy. A new approach could be the therapeutic use of the immunological reaction of the host. Attempts to demonstrate the existence of melanoma-associated antigens were made in the early seventies and were followed by specific immunotherapy trials, using vaccines prepared from melanoma cells. No definite evidence of melanoma immunogenicity was ever obtained. However, monoclonal antibodies definitely demonstrate the presence of melanoma-associated antigenic structures at the cell surface. In this commentary the following topics will be dealt with: antibodies to melanomas; melanoma antigens; and clinical applications of monoclonal antibodies.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Foetal bovine serum (FBS) induced cytostatic effect of peritoneal macrophages against mouse melanoma

Peritoneal macrophages (PM) obtained from normal unstimulated adult mice, from several strains, exhibited a non specific in vitro cytostatic effect on Harding Passey melanoma (HPM) cells. PM lysates and PM supernatant culture fluids were separately assayed. 72 hour supernatants were found to contain a strong cytostatic factor, which was heat stable and dialysable. 72 hour lysates were ineffective when taken from young mice PM cultured in the absence of serum. A strong cytostatic effect of the lysates was produced when the same PM were cultured with as little as 0.5% FBS.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe