Completed

Extended Schedule, Escalated Dose Temozolomide Versus Dacarbazine in Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma: A Randomized Phase III Study of the EORTC Melanoma Group

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What is being tested

Temozolomide

+ Dacarbazine

Drug
Who is being recruted

Melanoma+8

+ Neoplasms

+ Neoplasms by Histologic Type

Over 18 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Phase 3
Interventional
Study Start: October 2004
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorMerck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Last updated: December 11, 2025
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: October 20, 2004

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

The purpose of this study is to ascertain if the extended schedule of Temozolomide, which allows increased doses and potential depletion of the enzyme underlaying resistance, is a more effective treatment of metastatic melanoma than single agent dacarbazine.

Official TitleExtended Schedule, Escalated Dose Temozolomide Versus Dacarbazine in Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma: A Randomized Phase III Study of the EORTC Melanoma Group 
Principal SponsorMerck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Last updated: December 11, 2025
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

859 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.



Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Over 18 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

MelanomaNeoplasmsNeoplasms by Histologic TypeNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasms, Germ Cell and EmbryonalNeoplasms, Nerve TissueSkin DiseasesSkin NeoplasmsNeuroectodermal TumorsNevi and MelanomasNeuroendocrine Tumors

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed, stage IV, surgically incurable melanoma * Age 18 years or older * World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 * Meets protocol requirements for specified laboratory values * Must be able to take oral medication * Must be disease free from cancer for period of 5 years (except for surgically cured carcinoma in-situ of the cervix and basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin). * Women of childbearing potential and men must be practicing a medically approved contraception. * Must provide written informed-consent to participate in the study. * Must have full recovery from major surgery or adjuvant treatment * No clinically uncontrolled infectious disease including HIV or AIDS-related illness Exclusion Criteria: * Ocular melanomas * Brain Metastases * Prior cytokine or chemotherapy for stage IV disease * Pregnant or nursing women

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

2 intervention groups are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups

Group I

Experimental
temozolomide 150 mg/m2/day PO, on 7 consecutive days every 14 days ("7 days on / 7 days off" continuously)

Group II

Active Comparator
dacarbazine 1000 mg/m2 IV, on Day 1 +/- 3 days every 3 weeks

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.
This study has no location dataSave this study to your profile to know when the location data is available. 
CompletedNo study centers