Medical treatment of metastatic melanoma.
The role of combination chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic melanoma is still a matter of controversy because of the lack of prospective trials directly demonstrating increased response rates and improved survival compared with DTIC alone. Nevertheless, several three-drug regimens have reported response rates between 30% and 50% in single-institution studies. The duration of response medians of these regimens ranges between 6 and 9 months. However, the survival medians of 6 to 11 months are not substantially better than those of DTIC alone. However, survival at 1 and 2 years following initiation of therapy may more clearly demonstrate an impact of therapies for metastatic melanoma.
Houghton
A N
AN
Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Meyers
M L
ML
Chapman
P B
PB
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016207:Cytokines; D003606:Dacarbazine