Regional isolated perfusion of extremities for melanoma: Now a 26-year experience with drugs other than L-phenylalanine mustard

Our experience with perfusions of extremities for recurrent tumors among 89 patients over the past 25 years leads us to conclude that 50 percent of the patients will have a good response to the perfusion with no further recurrence in that extremity. However, half of these patients will continue to present with subsequent evidence of metastases to distant organs despite the control of the perfused extremity. Therefore, we can expect to provide 25 percent of the patients with lasting control of their disease.