None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The objective is to investigate whether diphencyprone (DPCP), a chemical which can cause contact allergy on the skin in about 95% of people, can stimulate the immune system to destroy these melanoma cells. DPCP is frequently used in dermatology as a treatment for autoimmune hair loss (alopecia areata) and warts, where it also stimulates an immune attack on the wart virus. As melanoma is a tumour which is known to be particularly susceptible to immune attack, it is hoped that DPCP treatment will be helpful to patients with otherwise untreatable secondary melanoma in their skin. There have so far been a handful of published case reports of patients in whom DPCP has been helpful for melanoma.
Interventions
Topical application of diphencyprone cream to cutaneous metastases.
The optimal diphencyprone dose is determined in each patient as the concentration causing adequate but not excessive contact dermatitis. The concentration may range from 0.0001% to 2%, mixed in aqueous cream. The cream is applied once per week, for 24 to 48 hours depending on intensity of response.
If there has been no response in 3 months, the treatment will be ceased. If there is response, the treatment can be continued i
Topical application of diphencyprone cream to cutaneous metastases. The optimal diphencyprone dose is determined in each patient as the concentration causing adequate but not excessive contact dermatitis. The concentration may range from 0.0001% to 2%, mixed in aqueous cream. The cream is applied once per week, for 24 to 48 hours depending on intensity of response. If there has been no response in 3 months, the treatment will be ceased. If there is response, the treatment can be continued indefinitely until refractory disease recurrence/progression. Usually, patients will require ~1 to 3 months to achieve a response. Ongoing treatment (ie, cream applied each week at home by patients) will then be offered to any patients who request it, with the aim of preventing further recurrence.
Sponsors
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
0 to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Melanoma locally recurrent or metastatic to skin
Exclusion criteria
Pregnancy or lactation Severe uncontrolled eczema Previous type I hypersensitivity to diphencyprone Primary melanoma
Outcome results
None listed