Complete remission seven years after treatment for metastatic malignant melanoma

BACKGROUND. In this study, the authors identified seven-year survivors after completion of the French multicenter Phase II trial of fotemustine for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma. METHODS. One hundred sixty-nine patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were included in this Phase II study. One hundred fifty-three patient records were evaluable with an overall response rate of 24.2%. RESULTS. Five of these patients are alive and in complete remission. One patient had a complete response after fotemustine administration and then relapsed. One patient had a partial response. Three patients had stable disease. These five patients underwent surgery for relapse or residual disease and subsequently achieved durable complete remission. CONCLUSIONS. Long term survival may be the outcome after surgical resection of residual metastatic melanoma after chemotherapy. (C) 1996 American Cancer Society.