University Eye Clinic, Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen, Schleichstrasse 12, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. g.jaissle@med.uni-tuebingen.de

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab, a potent antibody against the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has been shown to be effective for treatment of colorectal cancer. Recently, high effectiveness of bevacizumab in combination with paclitaxel has been reported in a single metastatic melanoma case. To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time the antiangiogenetic effect of bevacizumab in a patient with a vitreous melanoma metastasis. OBSERVATIONS: A 68-year-old man with a vitreous melanoma metastasis of the left eye was treated with a revitrectomy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab application because of iris neovascularization and progressive epiretinal tumor plaques. Four days after the treatment, the melanoma-associated neovascularization completely disappeared, but it recurred after 6 weeks. Although repetitive administration of local bevacizumab produced the same antiangiogenetic effect, progression of the epiretinal tumor plaques could not be stopped with the local bevacizumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular administration of the anti-VEGF drug bevacizumab causes immediate and complete regression of melanoma-associated angiogenesis. The rationale for the therapeutic strategy in our patient was an elevated level of VEGF in the vitreous cavity. Because we could not demonstrate a direct antiproliferative effect of bevacizumab on melanoma metastasis, bevacizumab seems most promising if evaluated in combination with antiproliferative agents.

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Department of Surgery, Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated the potent in vitro antiproliferative effects of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) against melanoma. Our prior studies directed us to hypothesize that KLH would be effective in vivo against melanoma, alone and in combination with conventional immunotherapy. METHODS: Mice were inoculated with 2 x 10(7) HTB68 cells and randomized to 6 groups. Treatment groups consisted of control, KLH 200 microg, alpha interferon (AIFN) 1000 IU, interleukin-2 (IL-2) 5000 IU, KLH + AIFN, and KLH + IL-2. RESULTS: KLH + IL-2 exhibited the greatest reduction in tumor volume (30%) as compared to control (P = .014), followed by KLH + AIFN (28%, P = .031). Singly treated animals had less tumor inhibition: IL-2 (30%, P = .022), KLH (18%, not significant), and AIFN (16%, not significant). CONCLUSIONS: KLH augments the effects of AIFN, one of the standard immunotherapeutic agents against melanoma in vivo. Further in vivo and early clinical studies into the effects of KLH as both a single and combined agent are warranted.

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Department of Surgery, Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated the potent in vitro antiproliferative effects of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) against melanoma. Our prior studies directed us to hypothesize that KLH would be effective in vivo against melanoma, alone and in combination with conventional immunotherapy. METHODS: Mice were inoculated with 2 x 10(7) HTB68 cells and randomized to 6 groups. Treatment groups consisted of control, KLH 200 microg, alpha interferon (AIFN) 1000 IU, interleukin-2 (IL-2) 5000 IU, KLH + AIFN, and KLH + IL-2. RESULTS: KLH + IL-2 exhibited the greatest reduction in tumor volume (30%) as compared to control (P = .014), followed by KLH + AIFN (28%, P = .031). Singly treated animals had less tumor inhibition: IL-2 (30%, P = .022), KLH (18%, not significant), and AIFN (16%, not significant). CONCLUSIONS: KLH augments the effects of AIFN, one of the standard immunotherapeutic agents against melanoma in vivo. Further in vivo and early clinical studies into the effects of KLH as both a single and combined agent are warranted.

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