Combined carboplatin and cytosine arabinoside in metastatic melanoma refractory to dacarbazine.
This is a preliminary report on the efficacy and toxicity of the combination chemotherapy regimen with carboplatin and cytosine arabinoside in dacarbazine-resistant metastatic melanoma. Patients were considered eligible in the presence of measurable disease sites, an ECOG performance status of 2 or less, a life expectancy of at least 2 months, and prior dacarbazine treatment. The planned schedule consisted of cytosine arabinoside (150 mg/m2 intravenously plus 50 mg subcutaneously), followed by a rapid infusion of carboplatin (350 mg/m2 on day 1). Courses were administered every 3 weeks according to hematologic recovery. Twenty-one consecutive patients were evaluable for activity and toxicity, the response rate was 19% (95% confidence interval, 5-42%). There was no complete remission. Toxicity was tolerable being myelosuppression the main side effect. In conclusion, the combination of carboplatin and cytosine arabinoside has limited activity as a salvage treatment in melanoma patients failing on dacarbazine chemotherapy. Moreover, the regimen is well tolerated and easy to administer in an outpatient setting.
Division of Medical Oncology B, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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Bajetta
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Buzzoni
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Vicario
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003561:Cytarabine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D016190:Carboplatin