Dacarbazine and/or Cisplatin Compared With Complete Metastasectomy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as dacarbazine and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Complete metastasectomy may be an effective treatment for metastatic melanoma and may improve quality of life and help patients live longer and more comfortably. It is not yet known whether complete metastasectomy is more effective than chemotherapy in treating stage IV melanoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying dacarbazine and/or cisplatin to see how well they work compared to complete metastasectomy in treating patients with stage IV melanoma.

Timeline

Start

2003-09

Primary completion

—

Completion

2005-05

Drugs

Indications