Endocrinology of melanoma.
Melanoma has a better prognosis in women than in men, may be exacerbated by pregnancy, and has been to reported to respond to hormonal manipulations. Laboratory investigations have demonstrated that both animal and human melanomas may respond to changes in the hormonal milieu. Steroid hormone binding activity has been demonstrated in some human melanomas, but only a small percentage of melanomas respond to hormonal manipulation. Randomized trials suggest a possible role for tamoxifen in combination with chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma and for megestrol acetate as an adjuvant. Nevertheless, it appears that the use of steroid hormones in the management of melanoma is limited.
Department of Surgery, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298-0011, USA.
J P
JP
Neifeld
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D006224:Cricetinae; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019290:Megestrol Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000556:secondary; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011485:Protein Binding; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D004967:Estrogens; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006728:Hormones; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013629:Tamoxifen; D011374:Progesterone; D019290:Megestrol Acetate