title: Dacarbazine (DTIC)-based chemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy of patients with disseminated malignant melanoma.
abstract: Combinations of dacarbazine (DTIC) and other cytotoxic agents or alpha-interferon were given to 136 patients in five different regimens. The total response rate was 32% (95% confidence interval 24-40%); 13% had a complete remission. Female patients had a significantly higher chance of response than male patients: 46% vs 23%. There was also a difference in complete response rate: 25% vs 9%. The overall survival was 6 months; 8% of patients had a response of more than 6 months and 2% of more than 2 years. Although response rates vary among the various regimens described in the literature, the complete response rates are quite similar and the long-term disease-free survival of these combinations may be similar to that of dacarbazine alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: van der Graaf
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Willemse
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Koops
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sleijfer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D001761:Bleomycin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D003609:Dactinomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine