Fotemustine--an advance in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma.

Abstract

Although chemotherapy has been generally of limited clinical benefit in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma (MMM), fotemustine (FM) is a newly developed drug which is active against this disease. Twenty-four patients with histologically proven MMM were treated with fotemustine, with or without dacarbazine (DITC) according to different phase II trials. In the first schedule, three patients received FM alone on days 1, 8, 15 followed by a 5-week rest period. The second schedule consisted of FM administered on days 1 and 8 alternating with DTIC on days 15 and 16, followed by a 5-week rest period (19 patients). The third schedule, given to two patients, consisted of DTIC followed 4 h later by FM. The overall response rate was 8.3%. Response in those who were treated with alternating drugs, included one partial response (PR) in the brain which lasted 4 months, and one PR in brain metastases with complete response (CR) in lymph nodes for 4 months. Clinical and radiological evidence of regression was observed mainly in brain metastases (22.2%), reflecting the intracerebral activity of the drug. It seems that fotemustine is superior to any other drug currently available in the treatment of these metastases.

• Authors: O Merimsky, M Inbar, B Gerard, S Chaitchik
• Journal: Melanoma research (Melanoma Res) Vol. 2 Issue 5-6 Pg. 401-6 (Dec 1992) ISSN: 0960-8931 [Print] England
• PMID: 1292787 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Nitrosourea Compounds
• Organophosphorus Compounds
• Dacarbazine
• fotemustine

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Brain Neoplasms (drug therapy, radiotherapy, secondary)
• Dacarbazine (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Melanoma (drug therapy, pathology, radiotherapy)
• Middle Aged
• Nitrosourea Compounds (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Organophosphorus Compounds (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Skin Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology, radiotherapy)