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Chemohormone therapy of metastatic melanoma with megestrol acetate plus dacarbazine, carmustine, and cisplatin
Author(s) -
Nathanson Larry,
Ashraf Meelu M.,
Losada Richard
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19940101)73:1<98::aid-cncr2820730118>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - carmustine , medicine , megestrol acetate , dacarbazine , megestrol , regimen , chemotherapy , cisplatin , lomustine , vinblastine , gastroenterology , urology , surgery , oncology , cancer , vincristine , etoposide , cyclophosphamide
Background. Chemotherapy with dacarbazine, carmustine, and cisplatin produces a modest objective response rate in melanoma. Megestrol acetate may ameliorate cachexia, abrogate drug resistance, and increase survival time in melanoma. Methods. Nineteen patients with metastatic melanoma (16 evaluable) treated with dacarbazine (220 mg/ m 2 /day for 3 days, intravenously [IV]), cisplatin (25 mg/ m 2 /day for 3 days IV) every 3 weeks, and carmustine (150 mg/m 2 IV single dose every 6 weeks) together with megestrol acetate (160 mg/day by mouth continuously) starting 2 days before chemotherapy. Results. This regimen was well tolerated and resulted in a mean net weight gain of 1.45 kg. A 47% objective response rate was observed in all patients, including visceral sites of response, with a 39+ week median duration of response and median survival time of 16.7+ months in all evaluable patients. Conclusions. In this small Phase II study, the authors showed that megestrol acetate may contribute to a high objective response rate and prolonged median survival when used with a chemotherapy regimen of dacarbazine, carmustine, and cisplatin.