Combination of cisplatin, vindesine, and dacarbazine in advanced malignant melanoma. A Phase II Study of the EORTC Malignant Melanoma Cooperative Group

A Phase II study combining cisplatin, vindesine, and dacarbazine was performed on patients with disseminated malignant melanoma by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Malignant Melanoma Cooperative Group (MMCG). The treatment consisted of intravenous administrations of dacarbazine 450 mg/m2, vindesine 3 mg/m2, and cisplatin 50 mg/m2 on day 1 and 8 of each course. Courses were repeated every 4 weeks. Treatment was discontinued in case of progression after two courses, otherwise continued until progression or for a minimum of six courses. One hundred five patients entered the trial with 92 patients being evaluable. The response rate calculated after clearance by the Extramural Review Committee shows four complete and 18 partial responses, i.e., 24%, with a median remission duration of 23 weeks. Toxicity and subjective tolerance to this regimen were moderate, requiring 140 modifications of 642 administrations (22%). Main toxicities were nausea and vomiting (95%), leucopenia (70%), alopecia (56%), peripheral neuropathy (32%), and nephrotoxicity (17%). The discussion emphasizes some particular points of interest in the management of advanced malignant melanoma.