Treatment of primary melanoma by intralesional vaccinia before excision.

The results of treatment of two groups of patients with primary melanoma are compared. 25 patients in group 1 were treated by wide local excision of the primary melanoma, and 23 in group 2 were treated by vaccination with live vaccinia virus 14 days before wide local excision. Vaccination exerts a favourable effect on the course of melanoma both in terms of survival and prolongation of the interval between treatment of the primary lesion and subsequent development of metastases.