title: Fotemustine, dacarbazine, vindesine combination chemotherapy in advanced malignant melanoma: a phase II study of 43 patients.
abstract: Fotemustine and dacarbazine constitute the most active single chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of melanoma. In this phase II study we evaluated the activity and toxicity of a combination of fotemustine, dacarbazine and vindesine as a means of increasing response rate and survival time. Between September 1989 and November 1993, 43 patients with advanced melanoma were treated with a combination of 100 mg/m2 fotemustine on days 1 and 8, 250 mg/m2 dacarbazine on days 15 and 16 and 2 mg/m2 vindesine on days 15 and 16 as induction treatment. After a 5-week rest period, the patients exhibiting a response or stable disease received the same drugs administered once every 28 days as maintenance therapy until either progression or toxicity was observed. Among 41 evaluable patients, there were six complete responses and eight partial responses. The overall response rate was 32% (95% confidence interval: 18-46%), with 8 months median duration of response. Median survival time was 10 months. This regimen was well tolerated. From this large phase II study, we conclude that such a combination is active against advanced malignant melanoma and seems to be more effective than fotemustine or dacarbazine used alone, especially on visceral metastatic sites.
authors.affiliation: SOMPS, Hopital de la Salpétriere, Paris, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rixe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paraiso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benhammouda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antoine
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bizzari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Auclerc
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soubrane
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012074:Remission Induction; D012306:Risk; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014751:Vindesine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D003606:Dacarbazine; C054368:fotemustine; D014751:Vindesine