PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Karianne Risberg AU - Øystein Fodstad AU - Yvonne Andersson TI - Immunotoxins: A Promising Treatment Modality for Metastatic Melanoma? DP - 2010 Sep 21 TA - Ochsner Journal PG - 193--199 VI - 10 IP - 3 4099 - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/10/3/193.short 4100 - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/10/3/193.full SO - Ochsner J2010 Sep 21; 10 AB - The incidence of melanoma is rising in the Western population, and melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer with a very poor prognosis once it has progressed to metastatic stages. Patients with stage IV melanoma (metastases to distant lymph nodes and other areas of the body) are treated with the chemotherapeutic drug dacarbazine (DTIC). However, fewer than 5% of the patients treated with DTIC sustain long-term complete responses; hence, DTIC is administered with palliative purposes. New therapy is urgently needed. We are developing another therapeutic strategy, specifically targeting melanoma cells with the 9.2.27PE immunotoxin (IT). ITs bind to antigens overexpressed on cancer cells and are therefore tumor selective. This targeted approach may potentially cause fewer side effects in a clinical situation compared to conventional approaches like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.