[Chemotherapy of malignant melanoma]

At present, the chemotherapeutic combinations for melanoma available are three regimens using DAV, PAV and CDV. Among of them, the DAV combination (dacarbazine, ACNU, vincristine) and PAV (peplomycin, ACNU, vincristine) are used as post-operative adjuvant therapy for stage II and III patients. Their aim is to prevent recurrence and prolong survival. For stage IV patients, the major therapeutic procedure is a CDV combination (cisplatin, dacarbazine, vindesine). Adoptive immunotherapy is almost always used for patients with distant metastases. They have shown comparable effects for metastatic lesion in the lymph nodes, mucous membrane, brain and lung. Excellent results were obtained in patients having skin metastases by intratumoral injection of interferon-beta. Studies on new drugs and their combinations must be undertaken for more effective treatment of malignant melanoma.