title: Randomized trials in melanoma: an update.
abstract: No effective therapy for metastatic melanoma exists. Polychemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy have not shown survival benefits. Vaccines have shown little activity in stage IV disease. To advance the identification of effective agents, new drugs can and should be offered as first-line treatment. Efforts must be made to improve understanding of the biology of malignant melanoma. Too many phase III trials have been conducted with a poor understanding of the mechanism of action of the involved drugs.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, 301 Groene Hilledijk, EA 3075, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. a.m.m.eggermont@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Alexander M M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Eggermont
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents