Definition: Dacarbazine is currently the only chemotherapy drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Dacarabazine is given by injection (a shot) or intravenous infusion (IV) under the guidance of a doctor or nurse. While it is the best available treatment and the standard against which new melanoma drugs are evaluated, it is unfortunately not very effective: response rates are low and it doesn't significantly improve overall survival. Dacarbazine has also been studied in combination with other drugs, as in the CVD (cisplatin, vincristine and dacarbazine) and BVLD (bleomycin, vincristine, lomustine and dacarbazine) regimens. The evidence so far, however, does not show any advantage of these combinations over the use of dacarbazine alone. (More details, including information about the potentially serious side effects of dacarbazine is also available.)
Also Known As: DTIC-Dome, DTIC, DIC, imidazole carboxamide
