Skin test results with common and melanoma antigens compared to clinical outcomes of melanoma patients treated with intralesional (IL) dinitrochorobenzene (DNCB) or IL bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG).

59Background: In a previous study involving in vitro serial testing in patients receiving IL BCG or IL DNCB we determined that measurements of serial in vitro phytohemagglutinin stimulation levels correlated with the patients’ clinical courses. The current evaluation attempted to determine which in vivo skin test studies were useful in this setting. Methods: All patients had locally progressive melanoma satellosis, or in-transit metastases, but no evidence of distant metastasis past regional lymph nodes. Patients had been randomized to repeatedly receive either IL BCG (9 patients), or IL DNCB (9 patients) into cutaneous or subcutaneous metastases. A "BCG worse outcome group" consisted of 6 patients in whom distant metastasis was detected within 2 to 20 months, and who died within 9 to 24 months. A "BCG better outcome group" consisted of 3 patients who were alive and in whom no distant metastases were detected after 12 to 39 months. Similarly, the 9 patients randomized to be treated with intralesional DNCB...