Long-term disease-free survival in advanced melanomas treated with nitrosoureas: mechanisms and new perspectives.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Median survival of metastatic malignant melanoma is 6.0 to 7.5 months, with a 5-year survival of approximately 6.0%. Although long-term complete remissions are rare, few reports describe cases after chemotherapy. Fifty-three patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with Cystemustine, a chloroethyl nitrosourea (CENU) (60 or 90 mg/m2).

CASE PRESENTATION:

We describe 5 cases, presenting with complete response with long-term disease-free survival of long-term remission of 14, 12, 9, 7 and 6 years after Cystemustine therapy alone.

CONCLUSION:

Long-term survival has already been described in literature, but in all cases they have been obtained after chemotherapy associated with or followed by surgery. But despite these noteworthy and encouraging but also rare results, it appears essential to increase Cystemustine efficiency.

• Authors: Xavier Durando, Emilie Thivat, Michel D'Incan, Anne Sinsard, Jean-Claude Madelmont, Philippe Chollet
• Journal: BMC cancer (BMC Cancer) Vol. 5 Pg. 147 (Nov 15 2005) ISSN: 1471-2407 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 16287507 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Nitrosourea Compounds
• N'-(2-chloroethyl)-N-(2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyl)-N'-nitrosourea

Topics

• Adult
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Melanoma (drug therapy, mortality)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Nitrosourea Compounds (pharmacology)
• Remission Induction
• Skin Neoplasms (drug therapy, mortality)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome