Chemosensitivity of malignant melanoma models: long-term complete remission after regional hyaluronidase/vinblastine therapy

Abstract

Peritumoral s.c. injection of hyaluronidase (100,000 IU/kg), followed 4 later by s.c. injection of vinblastine (0.3 mg/kg, a dose which by itself had no antitumor activity), was given to nude mice bearing various human malignant melanomas. Seven such treatments (1/wk) were performed from day 22 to day 64. On day 78, histol. examns. revealed complete cure (absence of tumor cells). At the dose given, hyaluronidase alone did not affect tumor growth, but it potentiated the action of vinblastine, allowing the use of a dose of the latter which does not produce therapy-limiting adverse effects..