Recent progress in the fields of pharmacology and immunology has provided us with new possibilities for treating dermatological diseases. This book reviews the most important immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory drugs and gives helpful, practical information on the treatment of various dermatoses, including autoimmundiseases, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vasculitis, contact dermatitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, infectious diseases, and neoplasms of the skin - in particular, malignant melanoma.

1 Basic Aspects

A Rational Approach to Immune Intervention
Skin as an Immunocompetent Organ in Health and Disease
2 Immunosuppressive and Antiinflammatory Compounds
Cyclosporin A
Rapamycin
FK-506/Tacrolimus
Low-Dose Methotrexate: An Immunomodifying Therapeutic Strategy for Dermatologie Diseases
Leflunomide
Fusion Toxins
Dermatological Phototherapy: A Prime Example of Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Immunointervention
Cytokines with Immunosuppressive Capacities
Extracorporeal Photochemotherapy
Glucocorticosteroids
High-Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulins
3 Immunostimulatory Substances and Vaccination Therapies
Interferon-a Therapy in Dermatology
Tumor Necrosis Factors
Cytokines and Cytokine Gene Transfer in Cancer Treatment
Development of a DNA Vaccine Against Malignant Melanoma
Low Molecular Weight Cytokine Inducers
4 Clinical Aspects of Immunosuppression and Immunostimulation
Autoimmune Bullous Diseases
Rheumatic Disease Group
Atopic Dermatitis
Psoriasis - Mediation of Skin Phenotype by Circulatory Pathogenic T Lymphocytes
Vasculitis Allergica
Contact Dermatitis
Pyoderma Gangrenosum
Viral Infections: Human Papillomavirus Infections Treated with Immunostimulatory Drugs and Vaccination Therapies
Immunostimulation and Vaccination Therapy of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Cytokine Therapy and Vaccination in Tropical Diseases Leishmaniasis and Leprosy
Cutaneous Lymphomas
Non-melanoma Skin Cancer
Therapy of Kaposi's Sarcoma
Adjuvant Melanoma Therapy
Cytokine-Based Treatments for Advanced Melanoma
Gene Therapy: A New Perspective for the Treatment of Malignant
Topical Immunotherapy of Malignant Melanoma
Vaccination with Dendritic Cells - A Specific Immunomodulatory Approach for the Treatmentof Malignant Melanoma.