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Histamine in immunotherapy of advanced melanoma: a pilot study

  • Short Communication
  • Histamine, NK Cells, Melanoma, Interleukin-2, Interferon α, Immunotherapy
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Abstract

Sixteen patients with advanced metastatic malignant melanoma were treated with a high-dose infusion of interleukin-2 (IL-2; 18×106 IU/m−2 day−1) together with daily subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of interferon α (IFNα; 3×106 U/m−2 day−1) in 5-day cycles. Nine of these patients were given histamine (1 mg s.c.) twice daily during treatment with IL-2 and IFNα. In the seven patients who did not receive histamine, one partial response (that is a reduction of more than 50% in the total tumour burden) was observed in a patient with skin and lymph node melanoma. In the eight histamine-treated patients evaluable for response, four partial responses were observed. Two other patients showed regression at one site of metastasis but tumours remained unchanged at other sites. Two histamine-treated patients showed complete resolution of extensive liver metastasis. Sites of response in histamine-treated patients also included the subcutis, lymph nodes, skeleton, spleen and muscle. Lung melanoma did not respond to histamine/IL-2/IFNα. Three patients with lung tumours responded with significant (more than 50%) reduction of the volume of soft-tissue tumours, suggesting that the response to histamine may be organotropic. Survival was significantly prolonged in patients receiving histamine. Our data suggest that treatment with histamine may improve the antitumour efficacy of immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, University of Göteborg, Guldhedsgatan 10B, S-413 46, Göteborg, Sweden

    Kristoffer Hellstrand & Svante Hermodsson

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Göteborg, Sweden

    Peter Naredi, Per Lindner, Kent Lundholm, Carl-Magnus Rudenstam & Larsolof Hafström

  3. Department of Radiology, University of Göteborg, Sweden

    Mats Asztély

Authors
  1. Kristoffer Hellstrand
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  2. Peter Naredi
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  3. Per Lindner
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  4. Kent Lundholm
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  5. Carl-Magnus Rudenstam
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  6. Svante Hermodsson
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  7. Mats Asztély
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  8. Larsolof Hafström
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Hellstrand, K., Naredi, P., Lindner, P. et al. Histamine in immunotherapy of advanced melanoma: a pilot study. Cancer Immunol Immunother 39, 416–419 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01534430

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01534430

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