A phase II study of the sequential administration of dacarbazine and fotemustine in the treatment of cerebral metastases from malignant melanoma.
34 patients with cerebral metastases from malignant melanoma received sequential dacarbazine at 250 mg/m2 followed 2 h later by fotemustine at 100 mg/m2; this was repeated on day 8. Maintenance therapy was given every 4 weeks to patients with radiological evidence of response or stable disease until a maximum response was achieved plus two more cycles. A 12% response rate was obtained for cerebral metastases, with 2 complete responses lasting 12 and 36+ months, and 2 partial responses lasting 2.5 and 3.75 months. Toxicity was mainly haematological with grade 3-4 leucopenia and thrombocytopenia in 23.5% of patients. No pulmonary toxicity was seen. This schedule of sequential dacarbazine and fotemustine has low activity against metastatic melanoma, and the response rate for cerebral metastases is not superior to that shown in other studies with single agent fotemustine, but the treatment was well tolerated and can be delivered on an outpatient basis.
Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, U.K.
J
J
Chang
H
H
Atkinson
R
R
A'Hern
A
A
Lorentzos
M E
ME
Gore
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D003606:Dacarbazine; C054368:fotemustine