Adjuvant immunotherapy for patients with melanoma: are patients with melanoma of the head and neck candidates for this therapy?
BACKGROUND
Although a wealth of information is available on adjuvant immunotherapy for melanoma, little is known about adjuvant immunotherapy for head and neck melanoma. Interestingly, a few immunotherapy clinical trials report the observation of clinical responses in a subset of patients with head and neck melanoma.


METHODS
An up-to-date literature search was performed to identify the current information on adjuvant immunotherapy for patients with melanoma, including head and neck melanoma. Moreover, a retrospective analysis of a subset of primary head and neck melanoma was performed using data from a phase III, randomized, double-blind, multi-institutinal, vaccinia melanoma oncolysate adjuvant immunotherapy trial that was performed in our laboratory for patients with stage III (AJCC) melanoma.


RESULTS
In a passive immunotherapy trial with an antibody to melanoma ganglioside antigen GM2, a complete regression was observed in one patient with lesions of the right cheek. In three active specific immunotherapy trials, including our phase III trial, a subset of patients with head and neck primary melanoma showed a longer disease-free and overall survival with immunotherapy. Moreover, these clinical responses were correlated to the induction of immune response, delayed-type hypersensitivity response and melanoma-specific antibody response.


CONCLUSIONS
The above results therefore suggest that patients with head and neck melanoma clinically respond to immunotherapy. However, these results need to be confirmed in a prospectively randomized trial for patients with head and neck melanoma.
Shaw
P M
PM
Department of Surgery/Surgical Research Laboratory, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York/New York Medical College, New York 10011, USA.
Sivanandham
M
M
Bernik
S F
SF
Ditaranto
K
K
Wallack
M K
MK
D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008545:Melanoma / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D019496:Cancer Vaccines