Characteristics of malignant melanoma cells in the treatment with fast neutrons

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Pigment Cell Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0749.1989.tb00224.x· OSTI ID:5157604

Tsunemoto, H; Morita, S; Mori, S ^[1]

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1. National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba-shi (Japan)

The radioresistance of malignant melanoma cells has been explained by the wide shoulder of the dose-cell-survival curve of the cells exposed to photon beams. Fast neutrons, 30 MeV d-Be, were used to treat patients who had malignant melanoma in order to confirm the biological effects of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation for tumor control. Seventy-two patients suffering from malignant melanoma participated in the clinical trials with fast neutrons between November 1975 and December 1986. Of 72 patients, 45 had melanoma of the skin, 20 had melanoma of the head and neck, and seven had choroidal melanoma. Five-year survival rate of the patients who had previously untreated melanoma of the skin was 61% and for patients who received postoperative irradiation, it was 35.7% whereas no patients who had recurrent tumor survived over 4 years. Of 22 patients who had melanoma of the skin, stage I, local control in four cases was achieved by irradiation alone, whereas local control was achieved in 17 of 18 patients who required salvage surgery after fast-neutron therapy. The results of pathological studies performed with specimens obtained from salvage surgery have shown that melanoma cells growing in intradermal tissue are radioresistant, compared with cells growing in intraepidermal tissue. This might suggest that melanoma cells acquire radioresistance when the connective tissue is involved. Five-year survival rate of the patients who had locally advanced melanoma of the head and neck, previously untreated, was 15.4%. Radiation therapy with accelerated protons was suitable for patients suffering from choroidal melanoma.

• OSTI ID: 5157604
• Journal Information: Pigment Cell Research; (USA), Journal Name: Pigment Cell Research; (USA) Vol. 2:4; ISSN 0893-5785; ISSN PCREE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ANIMALS
BARYONS
DISEASES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
LET
MAMMALS
MAN
MEDICINE
MELANOMAS
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
NEUTRON THERAPY
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEONS
PATIENTS
PRIMATES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RBE
SURVIVAL CURVES
THERAPY
VERTEBRATES