[Brain metastases of malignant melanomas]

Abstract

Cerebral metastases of malignant melanoma are correlated with a very poor prognosis. Surgery of an isolated metastase can lead to a long survival but the brain lesions are frequently numerous and associated with an extracerebral diffusion. Dacarbazine (DTIC) gives a mean response rate of 21% on visceral localisations but doesn't cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Neither do the biological response modifiers like Interleukin 2 (Il2) that leads to 25% response rate in disseminated melanoma. Nitrosoureas like carmustine (BCNU) and semustine (CCNU) have been investigated in different non randomised studies and the clinical results didn't illustrate their theorical ability to cross the BBB. Radiotherapy is also used as a palliative therapy with 7 to 16 weeks survival. Fotemustine (muphoran), a new amino acid linked nitrosourea, can give a response rate up to 28.2% in patients with cerebral metastases and the increased survival of responding patients is significant. The availability of this new drug may suggest associations with surgery and radiotherapy in the future to improve the survival of such patients.