Conventional dose melphalan is inactive in metastatic melanoma: results of an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study (E1687).
Despite reports that i.v. melphalan is active in the settings of conditioning regimens utilizing high-dose chemotherapy for autologous bone marrow transplantation and in isolated limb perfusion for the treatment of malignant melanoma, its activity at conventional doses has never been defined in this disease. We conducted a phase II study of conventional-dose i.v. melphalan (30 mg/m2) in 17 patients with metastatic melanoma. All patients were previously untreated with chemotherapy with performance status 0, 1 or 2. Forty-seven cycles were given with a median of two cycles. One patient was not evaluable due to early death. There were no responses in the 16 patients, resulting in a 0% response rate (95% confidence interval = 0-17%). We conclude that conventional-dose melphalan by i.v. administration has no appreciable activity in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma.
Hochster
H
H
New York University Medical Center, New York 10016, USA.
Strawderman
M H
MH
Harris
J E
JE
Atkins
M B
MB
Oken
M
M
Skeel
R T
RT
Jubelirer
S J
SJ
Parkinson
D
D
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D008558:Melphalan