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Melanoma tumor vaccine: Five‐year follow‐up
Author(s) -
McGee J. Michael C.,
Lytle Glenn H.,
Malnar Karen F.,
Price Joseph A.,
Humphrey Loren J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930470407
Subject(s) - medicine , stage (stratigraphy) , melanoma , dissection (medical) , lymph node , lymph , overall survival , survival rate , gastroenterology , surgery , pathology , cancer research , paleontology , biology
For many years, various melanoma vaccines have been employed. This is a unique melanoma vaccine in that it is a subcellular tumor homogenate and no adjuvants have been added. This vaccine has been given to 129 stage I and 61 stage II melanoma patients. All were followed at least 5 years and had 87.5% and 63.9% 5‐year survival rates, respectively. Sixty‐four stage I males and 65 stage I females had 84% and 90% 5‐year survival rates, respectively. We saw no difference between those with or without lymph node dissection. Thirty‐six stage II males and 25 stage II females had 66.7% and 60% 5‐year survival rates, respectively. Of stage II patients, 23 had only one positive node, 22 had two to four positive nodes, and 9 had five or more positive nodes with 69%, 63%, and 55% 5‐year survival rates, respectively. Large published series were used as historical controls [6,27,28], and significant differences were noted when compared to our stage II patients ( P = 0.001)—those with two to four positive nodes ( P = 0.03), and those with five or more positive nodes ( P = 0.04). We conclude that there is a significant increase in survival for these stage II patients, at high risk of recurrence, receiving a tumor homogenate vaccine. This vaccine warrants further analysis, development, and use in a phase III randomized clinical trial.