Vinblastin-carboplatin for metastatic cutaneous melanoma as first-line chemotherapy and in dacarbazine failures: a single-center study

Medical Oncology
S JelićI Popov

Abstract

First-line treatments of metastatic melanoma are usually decarbazine (DTIC) and/or alpha-interferon based, with response rates in the range of at most 20-30%. In this study, initiated, in fact, by a temporary DTIC shortage in the country, we have assessed the efficacy and toxicity of a vinblastine-carboplatin regimen for metastatic melanoma. The regimen was subsequently applied in two cohorts of patients: a chemotherapy-naive one and in DTIC failures (because the regimen was claimed non-cross-resistant). The regimen contained 6 mg/m2 vinblastine on d 1 and 450 mg/m2 carboplatin on d 1 for 3 wk. In the chemotherapy-naïve cohort, 50 patients were included, 29 males and 21 females, median age 54 yr (range: 33-68), performance status 0+1 for 26 patients and 2+3 for 24 patients. Forty-eight patients were evaluable for activity. The response was the following: complete response (CR), 1/48 (2%); partial response (PR), 13/48 (27%); stable disease (SD), 20/48 (42%); progressive disease (PD), 14/48 (29%). The overall response rate was 14/48 (29%). The median response duration was 7 mo (range: 3-14); the median time to progression was 4 mo (range: 2-14). Toxicity included granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia grade IV in 3/50 patients and...Continue Reading

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