title: Combination chemotherapy with 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea and cyclophosphamide in metastatic melanoma.
abstract: Twenty one patients with advanced metastatic melanoma were treated with a combination of 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU) and cyclophosphamide. All the patients had not previously been treated with cytostatics. MNU in the dose of 4 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide in the dose of 8 mg/kg body weight was administered daily. The drugs were given in 6 day cycles. Objective response (greater than 50% tumor regression) was obtained in 8 (38%) of the 21 treated patients, with 2 complete and 6 partial remissions. The duration of remission was 2--12 months (M = 6.2 months). Injections of MNU caused nausea and vomiting in approximately all the treated patients. Combination of these drugs, however, produced myelodepression in 33% of treated patients. This combination of drugs showed antitumor activity in metastatic malignant melanoma, particularly in melanoma metastasis of the lung, brain and lymph nodes and needs further investigation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008770:Methylnitrosourea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D008770:Methylnitrosourea; D003520:Cyclophosphamide