Oxaliplatin is active in vitro against human melanoma cell lines: comparison with cisplatin and carboplatin

We have previously confirmed the in vitro activity of cisplatin and carboplatin against human melanoma cell lines. Both drugs are important components in the chemotherapy used in our service for advanced metastatic melanoma. In this communication we report the in vitro activity of oxaliplatin against human melanoma cell lines in comparison with cisplatin and carboplatin. Oxaliplatin was found to be active against C32 and G361 cell lines with IC50 values of 49.48 and 9.07 microM (1 h exposure), 9.47 and 1.30 microM (4 h exposure), and 0.98 and 0.14 microM (24 h exposure), respectively. The cytotoxic activity of oxaliplatin in this in vitro system appears to be significantly superior to that of carboplatin. Its activity becomes comparatively closer to that of cisplatin as exposure time increases. Indeed at a 24 h exposure oxaliplatin appears to be significantly more active than cisplatin against the G361 cell line (p=0.0343). Oxaliplatin merits evaluation in the clinic both as a single agent and in combination with other drugs active against melanoma.