The therapeutic results of a controlled study with 3 multiple-drug regimens (regimen A: DTIC [5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide] vincristine, BCNU [1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea]; regimen B: DTIC, vincristine, hydroxyurea and regimen C: DTIC, actinomycin D, BCNU) in a total of 274 evaluable patients with advanced malignant melanoma were reported. CR[complete remission]s were significantly more frequent (P < 0.01) in regimens A (9.3%) and C (16.4%) compared with regimen B (1.1%). No significant difference in terms of CR plus PR [partial remission] was detected among the 3 regimens. In all regimens a higher number of CRs plus PRs was seen in patients with soft tissue metastases only, compared with those who had visceral involvement. In all 3 regimens, patients achieving CR showed a longer duration of response and survival in comparison with patients achieving PR. The incidence of brain metastases was neither lowered nor delayed by the presence of BCNU in regimens A and C.