Pharmacokinetics of melphalan in clinical isolation perfusion of the extremities.

The pharmacokinetics of melphalan in clinical hyperthermic isolation perfusion was studied in 16 patients with malignant melanoma. Analysis by computer-generated lines of best fit showed that the loss of melphalan from perfusate conforms best to a biexponential equation. The initial loss with a half-life (t1/2) of approximately 5 to 10 min is interpreted as rapid uptake of melphalan by the tissue of the perfused extremity. The terminal portion of the curve with a half-life of approximately 35 to 50 min is interpreted as due predominantly to the hydrolysis of melphalan, with a lesser component of loss due to absorption of melphalan to the filters and tubing of the perfusion apparatus. Determination of the area under the curve suggests that there is no appreciable uptake of melphalan by the tissue of the perfused extremity after 30 min.