Esorubicin (deoxydoxorubicin) has low grade activity in malignant melanoma

Summary In this phase II trial, twenty patients with advanced, measurable melanoma from ECOG institutions were treated with esorubicin 30 mg/m² iv every three weeks. Doses were escalated or reduced based on nadir counts. The dose limiting toxicity was leukopenia with no significant thrombocytopenia or anemia. Other toxicities were mild. One patient had skin necrosis with extravasation. Two patients with soft tissue disease had partial remissions and were treated with 9 and 17 courses. One patient was stable for 8 courses. No cardiac toxicity was seen in three patients receiving more than 150 mg/m². The response rate was 10% (90% CI = 2 to 30%). Low level activity was seen, but it is unlikely that this drug has sufficient activity to warrant further development in melanoma.Other participating institutions include: Albany Medical College, Albany, NY (CA 06594); Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, WV; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA (CA 18281); Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN; Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (CA 20365); Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL (CA 25988); University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa (CA 21692); Natalie Warren Bryant Cancer Center, Tulsa, OK; University of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center, Madison, WI (CA 21076); West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.Dr. Hochster is a recipient of an American Cancer Society Cancer Development Award and is supported in part by the Kaplan Cancer Center grant CA 16087.