Regional BCG-therapy of malignant melanoma: In vitro monitoring of spontaneous cytolytic activity of circulating lymphocytes
✍ Scribed by J. G. Saal; G. Riethmüller; E. P. Rieber; M. Hadam; H. Ehinger; W. Schneider
- Book ID
- 104660557
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1977
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 543 KB
- Volume
- 3
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0340-7004
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✦ Synopsis
The 3H-proline release test was used to measure spontaneous cytolytic activity of lymphocytes (CMC) from 94 melanoma patients after resection of the primary tumor. This assay showing a remarkable sensitivity and reproducibility allowed the detection of a certain disease-related pattern defined as preferential lysis of tumor cells when patienls with mammary carcinoma and bladder tumor were tested simultaneously against corresponding tumor cells.
This assay was applied to monitor short-term and long-term effects of BCG administered by repeated scarifications to the site of the primary tumor. Short-term changes of CMC occurring after BCG-administration were characterized by a sharp increase in some patients, in others by a decrease of CMC. When cytolytic activity was recorded at 4-week intervals for 6 -9 months after BCG application, a distinctly decreasing pattern of CMC was observed in the majority of patients with signs of tumor progression, whereas no tumor progression during the observation period was seen in those patients with increasing CMC patterns.