title: Fotemustine for the treatment of melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma is a rare but very aggressive form of cancer. Survival in melanoma varies widely depending on the stage of the tumor. In metastatic melanoma, prognosis is usually poor and the treatment is based on chemotherapy. So far, dacarbazine has been the drug of reference, with an average response rate of 15 - 20% when used as a monotherapy. As single drugs go, fotemustine is considered the second-best treatment, after dacarbazine.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review of the scientific literature focuses on the use of fotemustine in patients with cutaneous melanoma and discusses its clinical efficacy and safety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fotemustine is a nitrosurea that has proved its efficacy in metastatic melanoma and particularly on cerebral metastases, given its high lipophilicity, facilitating its active penetration in all tissues including the central nervous system. However, overall response rates are low, with only few complete remissions and short response durations.
authors.affiliation: Nantes University Hospital, Skin Cancer Unit, INSERM 892, 1 place Alexis Ricordeau, 44093 Nantes Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quéreux
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dréno
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; C054368:fotemustine