Levodopa and Melanoma

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To the Editor.— Based on personal experience with a single case of Parkinson's disease and malignant melanoma and an incomplete review of the literature, Sober and Wick (240:554, 1978) conclude that levodopa should be administered to patients with Parkinson's disease who have a history of melanoma. This recommendation is particularly sobering in view of their own studies.1 Three additional cases of the combination of malignant melanoma and Parkinson's disease have been reported.2,3In two, surgical excision of the melanomas was accomplished before the onset of Parkinson's disease, and neither patient was treated with levodopa. The third patient's condition was diagnosed as malignant melanoma eight years after treatment with levodopa and four years after treatment with levodopa and methyldopa. All three have now been treated for periods in excess of six months with bromocriptine, and although therapy had to be terminated in one patient because of centrally mediated complications of

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: