Liposomal muramyl tripeptide (CGP 19835A lipid) therapy for resectable melanoma in patients who were at high risk for relapse: an update.

Liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (L-MTP-PE) was used in a pilot study for resectable melanoma patients who were at high risk for relapse. We entered 18 evaluable patients. The patient group included: (a) patients with stage III disease and clinically measurable regional metastases at presentation as confirmed by needle biopsy and (b) patients with stage IV disease presenting with measurable and resectable distant metastases confirmed by needle biopsy and limited to lungs, lymph nodes and subcutaneous tissues.

Pilot study of intra-arterial cisplatin and intravenous vinblastine and dacarbazine in patients with melanoma in-transit metastases.

For melanoma, in-transit metastases (ITMs) are a harbinger of systemic disease in over 70% of patients and thus warrant a systemic approach to management. In this study, previously untreated patients with ITMs (n=15) received a systemic regimen of 'CVD' in 21 day cycles (median, three cycles) as follows: dacarbazine 800 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.

Phase II study of recombinant interleukin 1alpha and etoposide in patients with relapsed osteosarcoma.

A Phase II trial using interleukin 1alpha (IL-1alpha) and etoposide for patients with relapsed osteosarcoma (OS) was undertaken to assess the feasibility and tolerability of combination therapy with biotherapy and chemotherapy. Nine patients with histologically proven relapsed OS were treated with IL-1alpha immediately followed by etoposide daily for 5 days every 3 weeks. Surgical resection of lung metastasis or peripheral tumor was performed after two or three cycles.

Active immunotherapy with ultraviolet B-irradiated autologous whole melanoma cells plus DETOX in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Our objective was to determine the clinical activity, toxicity, and immunological effects of active immunotherapy using UVB-irradiated (UVR) autologous tumor (AT) cells plus adjuvant DETOX in metastatic melanoma patients. Eligibility included nonanergic patients fully recovered after resection of 5 or more grams of metastatic melanoma. Treatment consisted of intradermal injections of 10(7) UVR-AT plus 0.

Evaluation of interleukin-2 administered by continuous infusion in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Background: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been used widely in the treatment of advanced melanoma, most often using a high dose bolus schedule of administration. We have evaluated the antitumor activity and toxicity of IL-2 when administered by a continuous infusion schedule in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Methods: Thirty-three patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with IL-2 using the maximum tolerated dose level of 12 x 10(6) IU/m2 as a continuous infusion over 24 hours x 4d/week for 4 weeks every 6 weeks.

Use of the Brief Symptom Inventory to assess psychological distress in three immigrant groups.

This paper examined the internal consistency reliability of two newly developed alternate language versions of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) (This is not the Bradford Somatic Inventory, which is also known as the BSI) when used with Polish and Filipino immigrants and the original versions of the BSI and its parent instrument, the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) when used with Irish immigrants; and, the theoretical and criterion related validity of the Psychoticism subscale of the BSI for Polish, Filipino, and Irish immigrants. Internal consistency estimates and triangulation of individual BSI global and subscale scores with verbal self-reports and clinical assessments demonstrated that the BSI is a relatively reliable and valid cross-cultural measure of psychological distress. However, problems with the Psychoticism subscale occurred across all three immigrant groups, which suggested that this subscale should be interpreted with caution when used with immigrants.