Biochemotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck mucosal melanoma.
BACKGROUND
No systemic therapy regimen has been recognized as effective for metastatic mucosal melanoma of the head and neck. We retrospectively analyzed the effectiveness of biochemotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck mucosal melanoma.


METHODS
We evaluated the medical records of 15 patients at our institution who had received various biochemotherapy regimens for advanced head and neck mucosal melanoma.


RESULTS
After a median follow-up duration of 13 months, 3 patients (20%) had partial response, and 4 patients (27%) had complete response. The median time to disease progression for all 15 patients was 10 months. The median overall survival duration for all patients was 22 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Although this was a small study, our results, especially the high complete response and overall response rates, indicate that biochemotherapy for advanced head and neck mucosal melanoma should be considered as a systemic treatment option for patients with this aggressive malignancy.
Bartell
Holly L
HL
The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
Bedikian
Agop Y
AY
Papadopoulos
Nicholas E
NE
Dett
Tina K
TK
Ballo
Matthew T
MT
Myers
Jeffrey N
JN
Hwu
Patrick
P
Kim
Kevin B
KB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D002945:Cisplatin