title: Melphalan concentration and distribution in the tissues of tumour-bearing limbs treated by isolated limb perfusion.
abstract: Levels of melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard) were measured in the tissues of tumour-bearing limbs treated by isolated limb perfusion (ILP). 41 samples of melanoma tissue, normal fat and skin were excised from 15 patients during ILP. A high performance liquid chromatography assay was used to measure melphalan concentrations. Levels of melphalan were higher in tumour than in fat (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test), and not significantly different from levels in adjacent skin. In 2 cases there was significant regional toxicity in the treated limb, but this was not related to the levels of melphalan measured in the tissues of the limb. It is encouraging that the concentrations of melphalan which were achieved in large necrotic nodules by ILP were similar to those in well-perfused normal skin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, U.K.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blackie
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnside
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: MacKie
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McKay
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D008558:Melphalan