Sylwia Wrotek1, Łukasz Brycht2, Weronika Wrotek3, Wiesław Kozak4. 1. Department of Immunology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100, Torun, Poland. Electronic address: wrotek@umk.pl. 2. Department of General, Gastroenterological and Oncological Surgery, Ludwik Rydygier Provincial Polyclinic Hospital in Torun, Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University, 53-59 Św. Józefa Street, 87-100, Torun, Poland. Electronic address: lukaszbrycht@wp.pl. 3. Department of Immunology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100, Torun, Poland. Electronic address: weronika@wrotek.pl. 4. Department of Immunology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100, Torun, Poland. Electronic address: wkozak@umk.pl.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma is a cancer that arises from pigment cells in the skin called melanocytes. The long-term survival of a patient with advanced melanoma is rare. CASE: We present a unique case of a female patient who has suffered from malignant melanoma for more than 13 years. The disease progressed quickly, and 19 months after diagnosis, the patient was classified as having stage IV melanoma. After several years, the patient had several episodes of fever that were not deliberately treated with medication. After each episode of fever, the patient observed the disappearance of tumours, which was confirmed by medical examination. Interestingly, since her initial diagnosis, the patient has refused most of the proposed medical treatments. Consequently, only some of the surgical procedures were performed. Currently, despite the initially poor prognosis, the patient only suffers symptoms that are the result of surgical resection of brain metastases. Most of her malignant tumours either disappeared or have stabilized without further growth. CONCLUSIONS: The onset of fever has altered the typical and unfavourable course of melanoma, causing remission or at least stabilization. This observation, in accordance with others in this field, suggests that fever in cancer patients should not be treated immediately, but should be allowed to develop under the care of a physician.
BACKGROUND:Malignant melanoma is a cancer that arises from pigment cells in the skin called melanocytes. The long-term survival of a patient with advanced melanoma is rare. CASE: We present a unique case of a female patient who has suffered from malignant melanoma for more than 13 years. The disease progressed quickly, and 19 months after diagnosis, the patient was classified as having stage IV melanoma. After several years, the patient had several episodes of fever that were not deliberately treated with medication. After each episode of fever, the patient observed the disappearance of tumours, which was confirmed by medical examination. Interestingly, since her initial diagnosis, the patient has refused most of the proposed medical treatments. Consequently, only some of the surgical procedures were performed. Currently, despite the initially poor prognosis, the patient only suffers symptoms that are the result of surgical resection of brain metastases. Most of her malignant tumours either disappeared or have stabilized without further growth. CONCLUSIONS: The onset of fever has altered the typical and unfavourable course of melanoma, causing remission or at least stabilization. This observation, in accordance with others in this field, suggests that fever in cancerpatients should not be treated immediately, but should be allowed to develop under the care of a physician.
Authors: Henryk M Kozłowski; Małgorzata Pawlikowska; Justyna Sobocińska; Tomasz Jędrzejewski; Artur Dzialuk; Sylwia Wrotek Journal: Pharmaceuticals (Basel) Date: 2021-06-08
Authors: Sylwia Wrotek; Justyna Sobocińska; Henryk M Kozłowski; Małgorzata Pawlikowska; Tomasz Jędrzejewski; Artur Dzialuk Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2020-02-19 Impact factor: 5.923