Adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in high risk patients with melanoma

Abstract

Thirty-one patients with Stage II cutaneous melanoma received adjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy after radical excision of the primary and regional lymph nodes. Vaccinations with bacille Calmette Guérin produced minimal systemic reactions and was better tolerated by the patients than was chemotherapy. A higher survival rate and disease-free interval were noted in patients treated with bacille Calmette Guérin than those receving dimethyl Triazeno-imidazole carboximide. These results suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy with dimethyl Triazenoimidazole carboximide alone is not beneficial in the treatment of high risk patients with melanoma. In this study, adjuvant bacille Calmette Guérin therapy appears to be more advantageous than does chemotherapy.