title: Final report of the French multicenter phase II study of the nitrosourea fotemustine in 153 evaluable patients with disseminated malignant melanoma including patients with cerebral metastases.
abstract: One hundred sixty-nine patients with histologic evidence of disseminated malignant melanoma, including patients with cerebral metastases, were entered into a Phase II study of the nitrosourea fotemustine. The treatment regimen consisted of a 100 mg/m2 1 hour IV infusion every week for 3 consecutive weeks, followed by a 4- to 5-week rest period (induction therapy). In responding or stabilized patients, maintenance therapy consisted of 100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks until the disease progressed. One hundred fifty-three patients were evaluable for response. Three complete responses and 34 partial responses were observed (according to the World Health Organization criteria), leading to an objective response rate of 24.2% (95% confidence interval: 17.4% to 31.0%). Responses were also documented on cerebral (25.0%), visceral (19.2%), or nonvisceral (31.8%) metastatic sites. The median duration of response was 22 weeks (range, 7 to 80 weeks). The objective response rate in previously untreated patients was 30.7% (19 of 62 patients). The main toxicity was hematologic with delayed and reversible leukopenia and/or thrombopenia. The objective response rate observed (especially in untreated patients), the activity on cerebral metastases, and the small amount of extra-hematologic toxicity encountered suggest that fotemustine is an effective drug in disseminated malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacquillat
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khayat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banzet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fumoleau
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Avril
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonneterre
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerbrat
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bonerandi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; C054368:fotemustine