Chemoimmunotherapy increases the lymphocyte reactivity of melanoma patients

Abstract

Eight surgically incurable melanoma patients receiving methyl-CCNU +vincristine +BCG +allogeneic melanoma cells, 8 receiving methyl-CCNU +vincristine, and 8 receiving only methyl-CCNU were measured for in vitro lymphocyte reactivity against an allogeneic melanoma cell line before and after treatment. In the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS), the lymphocytes of 5 of 8 patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy and 0 of 16 patients receiving chemotherapy alone showed a significant increase in reactivity. In the presence of patient's autologous serum, 4 of 8 receiving chemoimmunotherapy and 2 of 16 receiving chemotherapy alone increased significantly. The differences between pre- and post-treatment reactivity were significantly greater in the group receiving chemoimmunotherapy than in the other two groups. The increase in lymphocyte reactivity demonstrated by the patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy did not correlate with tumor regression and was not reflected in an improved survival.