[Comparison of the efficacy of imidazole-carboxamide and of a combination of nitrosomethylurea, vincristine and dactinomycin in disseminated melanoma]

Abstract

A randomized cooperative study comparing 2 regimens of chemotherapy (DTIC--150mg/m2 iv days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and a combination of vincristine--1.4 mg/m2 iv days 1, 8, 15, nitrosomethylurea--200 mg/m2 iv days 3, 5, 10, 12 and dactinomycin--0.3 mg/m2 iv days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12) was carried out in 114 patients with disseminated skin melanoma. A combined chemotherapy course given to 58 patients was followed by complete response (CR) in 8 cases (13.7%) and partial response by over 50% (PR)--in 6 cases (10.4%). In 56 patients treated with DTIC, CR was registered in 4 patients (7.1%) and PR in 9 (16%). Patients resistant to one regimen did not respond to the other.