Chemotherapy of malignant melanoma

A number of drugs are being used in chemotherapy treatment programs of advanced melanoma. Of these, DTIC is the most important drug currently in use, producing a response rate of about 20% when used as a single agent. Studies with nitrosoureas report response rates ranging from 6 to 41%, with an average of 24%. Combinations of these 2 agents and other drugs have not yet shown a significant improvement in response over either drug used alone. However, several studies of chemo-immunotherapy have reported overall response rates in the vicinity of 28%, somewhat higher than that obtained with chemotherapy alone.