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Tom Smith, MD
Medical College of Virginia Richmond

JAMA. 1987;257(13):1731.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Lotze et al¹ report that interleukin 2 (IL-2) can produce objective regressions in patients with melanoma. I am concerned that other factors in the treatment protocol rather than IL-2 may be responsible for some of the antitumor activity. All patients received ranitidine hydrochloride or cimetidine hydrochloride to reduce histamine-related side effects and prevent gastritis.

Histamine type 2 receptor antagonists such as ranitidine or cimetidine inhibit activation of suppressor T cells² and may allow cytotoxic T cells to more effectively kill cancer cells.³I recently found complete regression of all melanoma nodules in a patient treated with ranitidine (unpublished data), and other researchers have noted remissions in patients treated with cimetidine. Responding tumors have included mycosis fungoides,⁴ solid tumors,⁵ and melanoma.⁶ Preliminary work using cimetidine plus coumarin⁷ showed three of eight patients with melanoma responding, in a way that does not . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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