title: Vinblastin-carboplatin for metastatic cutaneous melanoma as first-line chemotherapy and in dacarbazine failures: a single-center study.
abstract: First-line treatments of metastatic melanoma are usually decarbazine (DTIC) and/or alpha-interferon based, with response rates in the range of at most 20-30%. In this study, initiated, in fact, by a temporary DTIC shortage in the country, we have assessed the efficacy and toxicity of a vinblastine-carboplatin regimen for metastatic melanoma. The regimen was subsequently applied in two cohorts of patients: a chemotherapy-naive one and in DTIC failures (because the regimen was claimed non-cross-resistant). The regimen contained 6 mg/m2 vinblastine on d 1 and 450 mg/m2 carboplatin on d 1 for 3 wk. In the chemotherapy-naïve cohort, 50 patients were included, 29 males and 21 females, median age 54 yr (range: 33-68), performance status 0+1 for 26 patients and 2+3 for 24 patients. Forty-eight patients were evaluable for activity. The response was the following: complete response (CR), 1/48 (2%); partial response (PR), 13/48 (27%); stable disease (SD), 20/48 (42%); progressive disease (PD), 14/48 (29%). The overall response rate was 14/48 (29%). The median response duration was 7 mo (range: 3-14); the median time to progression was 4 mo (range: 2-14). Toxicity included granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia grade IV in 3/50 patients and nausea grade II in 8/50 patients. In the DTIC-failures cohort, 58 patients were included, 38 males and 20 females, median age 51 yr (range: 20-65), performance status 0+1 for 25 patients and 2+3 for 33 patients. All 58 patients were evaluable for activity. The response was the following: CR 3/58 (5%), PR 4/58 (7%), SD 10/58 (17%), PD 41/58 (71%). The overall response rate was 7/58 (12%). The median response duration was 11 mo (range: 3-24); the median time to progression was 4 mo (range: 2-24). Toxicities included granulocytopenia grade IV in 4/58 patients and nausea grade II in 4/58 patients. Thus, despite the fact that the regimen achieved a response rate comparable to DTIC in a first-line setting, the lack of cross-resistance did not prevent it from being of limited activity in DTIC failures, although, even in this group, several long-lasting responses and stabilizations were noted.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Department of Medical Oncology, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. jelics@ncrc.ac.yu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jelić
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babović
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stamatović
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kreacić
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matković
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Popov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D016190:Carboplatin