Phase II study of tamoxifen in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma

Twenty-five evaluable, ambulatory outpatients with disseminated malignant melanoma received tamoxifen at a dose of 40 mg orally each day. None of the patients had an objective regression and approximately 70% had disease progression within 30 days of starting treatment, including two patients with detectable estrogen receptor titers. Median survival time and time to progression were 4 months and 1 month respectively. Performance score was the most significant covariate for survival time (P < 0.01) and time to progression (P = 0.02).