Dacarbazine (DTIC)-based chemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy of patients with disseminated malignant melanoma

Br J Cancer. 1994 Oct;70(4):681-3. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1994.372.

Abstract

Combinations of dacarbazine (DTIC) and other cytotoxic agents or alpha-interferon were given to 136 patients in five different regimens. The total response rate was 32% (95% confidence interval 24-40%); 13% had a complete remission. Female patients had a significantly higher chance of response than male patients: 46% vs 23%. There was also a difference in complete response rate: 25% vs 9%. The overall survival was 6 months; 8% of patients had a response of more than 6 months and 2% of more than 2 years. Although response rates vary among the various regimens described in the literature, the complete response rates are quite similar and the long-term disease-free survival of these combinations may be similar to that of dacarbazine alone.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Dacarbazine / administration & dosage*
  • Dacarbazine / adverse effects
  • Dactinomycin / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vinblastine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Interferon-alpha
  • Bleomycin
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Dactinomycin
  • Vinblastine
  • Dacarbazine