DACARBAZINE (DTIC)-BASED CHEMOTHERAPY OR CHEMOIMMUNOTHERAPY OF PATIENTS WITH DISSEMINATED MALIGNANT-MELANOMA

Combinations of dacarbazine (DTIC) and other cytotoxic agents or alpha -interferon were given to 136 patients in five different regimens. The total response rate was 32% (95% confidence interval 24-40%); 13% had a complete remission. Female patients had a significantly higher chan ce of response than male patients: 46% vs 23%. There was also a differ ence in complete response rate: 25% vs 9%. The overall survival was 6 months; 8% of patients had a response of more than 6 months and 2% of more than 2 years. Although response rates vary among the various regi mens described in the literature, the complete response rates are quit e similar and the long-term disease-free survival of these combination s may be similar to that of dacarbazine alone.