Long-term survival and outcome of patients originally given Mycobacterium vaccae for metastatic malignant melanoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The long-term prognosis of patients with stage IV AJCC melanoma is extremely poor. We have previously published short-term clinical outcome and immunological responses to a heat killed Mycobacterium vaccae-based vaccine.

Results

In this study we report on a better than expected long-term survival (3-y DSS 29·6%, 5-y, and 7-y DSS both 23·9%) relative to historical controls in the patients who received the vaccine in these trials, published in 1999 and 2003. Although the complete or partial response was only 10%, it was the remarkable response to other interventions upon relapse, such as surgery and radiotherapy followed by stable disease that was previously unexpected.

Methods

We reviewed the outcome of 72 patients who were treated with M. vaccae for metasta

SUBMITTER: Cananzi FC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3981853 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature