title: Hemorrhagic regression of melanoma metastases during therapeutic vaccination: a report of three cases.
abstract: Melanoma metastases are characterized by pronounced neo-angiogenesis and spontaneous bleeding frequently occurring within central nervous system metastases. Clinically apparent spontaneous hemorrhage within subcutaneous melanoma metastases, however, is a rare event that coincides with progression of such metastases. We report, to our knowledge the first observation, on regression of subcutaneous metastases with hemorrhage of the overlying skin in three patients with stage IV melanoma who participated in clinical trials on therapeutic vaccination. In two patients, loss of arterial flow on Doppler ultrasound imaging was documented in the metastasis at the time of hematoma formation. One patient suffered from an intracranial hemorrhage in a subcentimetric brain metastasis coincident with the hemorrhagic regression of some of his skin metastases.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Oncology Center, UZ Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, Brussel 1090, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lauranne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pierret
authors.forename: Nicolas Van
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Baren
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonehill
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corthals
authors.forename: An M T
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Van Nuffel
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heirman
authors.forename: Truus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roelandt
authors.forename: Arlette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Coninck
authors.forename: Ivan Van
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Riet
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Degreef
authors.forename: Annieta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verfaillie
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roseeuw
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thielemans
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neyns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines