Controlled study of DTICversusDTIC plus epirubicin in metastatic malignant melanoma

✍ Scribed by Massimo Lopez; Carlo-Federico Perno; Luigi Lauro; Paola Papaldo; Fabrizio Ganzina; Aldo Barduagni

• Publisher: Springer US
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 256 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-6997
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00175384

✦ Synopsis

Forty-two previously untreated patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were randomized to receive DTIC at a dose of 250 mg/m2/day 4 IV on days 1-5 or the same drug plus epirubicin (Epi-DX) at a dose of 90 mg/m2 on day 1. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. Partial responses were observed in two out of 22 patients (9.1%) treated with DTIC, and in four out of 19 evaluable patients (21.1%) treated with Epi-DX + DTIC. Overall, Epi-DX + DTIC combination was well tolerated, thus permitting administration after a 3-week interval of the full drug dosages in all but two patients. No major cardiotoxicity was observed. Although patients in the Epi-DX + DTIC group had a better response rate than those in the DTIC group, the difference was not statistically significant, and the 21.1% response rate observed with the two-drug combination does not differ from that reported with DTIC used alone.