Regional isolated perfusion of high risk melanoma of the extremities with imidazole carboxamide.
Twenty-four patients have been treated by regional isolated perfusion with decarbazine for melanoma of an extremity, with a follow-up period of seven to 72 months. None of these patients had any signs or symptoms of toxicity from the drug. The serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase level was elevated by the first postoperative day and returned to normal within the next six days. Fourteen of these 24 patients are free of disease for a follow-up period of 23 to 70 months. Three of the seven patients treated for local or intransit metastases are free of disease for five, 60 and 61 months; a fourth patient had subcutaneous metastases of the trunk develop while remaining disease-free in the perfused extremity for 72 months, and a fifth patient perfused for numerous intransit metastases of a leg had resolution of many of the nodules and remains without new lesions for nine months. Decarbazine is recommended as a safe and valuable drug for the perfusion of extremities with melanoma.
D001132:Arm; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003606:Dacarbazine; D003404:Creatinine