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.
Bajetta
E
E
Division of Medical Oncology B, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Buzzoni
R
R
Vicario
G
G
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