Faculty Bibliography

Alpha interferon (IFN) has single agent activity in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma. Preclinical data suggests that cis-retinoic acid (cRA) may potentiate the activity of IFN. Clinical trials of this combination in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma report higher response rates than that expected for IFN alone. We tested the activity of the combination of IFN and cRA in patients (pts) with metastatic malignant melanoma. 13 pts were treated with IFN 5 x 10 (6) units/m2 tiw and cRA 100 mg/kg/day. 11 pts were previously treated with chemotherapy; 2 had no prior treatment. Sites of metastases include: lung (9), liver (4), soft tissue (7), adrenals (2) nodes (2). 1 PR was seen in lung and adrenal mets (for 6 mo), 2 pts had stabilization of pulmonary mets for 2 mo. All other pts had progressive disease within 8 wk of beginning treatment. Toxicity was substantial. All pts experienced ECOG Grade 1-2 fatigue, myalgias, anorexia, stomatitis and cheilitis. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides became elevated in all pts. Dose reductions included: 1 pt 50% IFN for fatigue, 1 pt 50% cRA for stomatitis, 3 pts 50% cRA for hypertriglyceridemia. 1 pt discontinued therapy for decline in PS to ECOG Level 3. The mean duration of treatment was 8.8 wk; range (3 -28 wk). The combination of cRA and IFN in this study did not demonstrate any improvement over the single agent activity of IFN. (C) American Society of Clinical Oncology 1997

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate recent trends in the United States of America regarding malpractice awards for patients with carcinoma of the breast. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was performed of 118 cases of purported malpractice in the diagnosis and management of patients with carcinoma of the breast and related problems. The information was tabulated from Westlaw Transmission, a computerized database. RESULTS: Gynecologists were the specialists most often sued and accounted for 47 percent of the physicians involved in lawsuits. Radiologists were cited in only 13 percent of the cases. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) were cited in 5 percent of the cases. The most common complaint was delay in diagnosis, made by a plaintiff who detected her own breast mass (52 percent). In 15 percent of the cases, the plaintiffs complained that a mammogram was not obtained, and 9 percent complained that other diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or fine-needle aspiration biopsy, were not performed. The average delay in diagnosis was 14 months. The average award to plaintiffs with carcinoma of the breast was $691,449. The average plaintiff's age was 44 years. CONCLUSIONS: Most malpractice complaints related to carcinoma of the breast are instituted by women under the age of 50 years who identified the breast mass by themselves and were assumed by their physicians to have fibrocystic disease of the breast. Complaints can be expected to increase regarding failure to order further diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or fine-needle aspiration biopsy, despite a negative mammogram. Complaints against HMOs are now also being made, citing failure to properly diagnose or treat patients with carcinoma of the breast

BACKGROUND. Melanoma vaccine treatment appears to slow the progression of melanoma in some patients, particularly in patients in whom it stimulates cellular antimelanoma immune responses. The relationship of vaccine-induced antibody responses to clinical outcome is less clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of antibody responses to melanoma vaccine immunization. METHODS. Eighty-two evaluable patients with surgically resected American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage III malignant melanoma were immunized to a partially purified, polyvalent, melanoma antigen vaccine. Antimelanoma antibodies were measured by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis before vaccine treatment and 1 week after the fourth immunization. RESULTS. Vaccine treatment induced or augmented antibody responses to melanoma in 32 (39%) of the patients. The antibodies were directed to one or more antigens of 38-43, 75, 110, 150 and/or 210 kDs, which previously have been shown to be expressed preferentially in cultured human melanoma cells. The median disease free survival of patients with a vaccine-induced antibody response to one or more of these antigens was 5.4 years compared with 1.4 years for nonresponders (P = 0.06), and 5-year overall survival was 71% compared with 44%, respectively (P = < 0.01). As determined by Cox multivariate analysis, the difference in overall survival was independent of disease severity or of immunologic competence as evaluated by ability to be sensitized to dinitrochlorobenzene. The difference in survival between antibody responders and nonresponders improved with time. CONCLUSIONS. The antibody response to vaccine treatment is an immune marker of vaccine activity that appears to be predictive of a later reduction in the recurrence of melanoma and is unrelated to the vaccine's ability to induce cellular immune responses. This finding suggests that vaccine treatment may be effective in slowing the progression of melanoma in some patients and that the protective effect is mediated partly by vaccine-induced antimelanoma antibodies

The diagnosis of malignant melanoma is based on clinical grounds and a properly performed biopsy, preferably excision, so that the type of melanoma and the thickness can be assessed by methods described by Clark and Breslow. These facilitate clinical and pathologic staging. Excisions with conservative margins for thin lesions (less than 1.0 mm in thickness) and more extensive margins for thicker lesions are appropriate. The issue of elective lymph node dissection is controversial. Most authors agree it is not indicated for lesions less than 1.0 mm thick and may offer little advantage for lesions greater than 4.0 mm thick. Several retrospective studies show a survival advantage in patients with 'intermediate' thickness melanomas who may have occult nodal metastases. However, there are prospective randomized clinical trials supporting the concept that positive lymph nodes are a manifestations of systemic disease, and survival is equivalent in patients who have subsequent therapeutic lymph node dissections. A procedure using intraoperative lymphatic mapping and selective lymphadenectomy may identify those patients who are likely to benefit from lymphadenectomy

This article discusses the diagnosis and management of pigmented lesions of the hand, especially the nail bed

Three needle aspiration biopsies were performed in three patients with unsuspected metastatic malignant melanoma to the breast. Each patient presented with well-circumscribed, dense nodules on the mammogram and two had ultrasound examinations that proved that the nodules were solid. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed metastatic malignant melanoma in each case