title: Vitiligo in patients with melanoma: normal tissue antigens can be targets for cancer immunotherapy.
abstract: Patients with metastatic renal cell cancer and metastatic melanoma treated with high-dose interleukin-2-based immunotherapy were prospectively evaluated for the development of vitiligo. All patients seen in the Surgery Branch, NCI Immunotherapy Clinic, who had been followed for at least 1 year were evaluated. Of 104 patients with metastatic renal cancer none developed vitiligo, though vitiligo was seen in 11 of 74 (15%) patients with metastatic melanoma (p2 = 0.0001). No vitiligo was seen in 27 patients who did not respond to immunotherapy, although vitiligo was seen in 11 of 43 (26%) melanoma patients who had an objective response to IL-2-based immunotherapy (p2 = 0.0002). These findings provide further evidence that the presence of a growing melanoma can sensitize patients to melanocyte-differentiation antigens and that the immune response against these antigens is associated with cancer regression in patients undergoing immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Branch, Clinical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D007376:Interleukin-2