UPDATE ON ACTIVE SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH MELANOMA VACCINES

Although a randomized clinical trial has yet to show a statistically s ignificant improvement in the survival of patients receiving vaccine t herapy for malignant melanoma, several studies have shown enhanced sur vival of patients developing an immune response to a melanoma vaccine. The knowledge and techniques of modern molecular biology and immunolo gy suggest multiple strategies to augment this response. The challenge of immunotherapy research is to determine which combination of approa ches leads to a favorable clinical response and how to monitor that re sponse effectively. This review identifies components of a successful vaccine, discusses new ways to modulate and stimulate the immune syste m, and summarizes some of the more interesting clinical trials of mela noma vaccine immunotherapy. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.