INTRAARTERIAL HEPATIC CARBOPLATIN-BASED CHEMOTHERAPY FOR OCULAR MELANOMA METASTATIC TO THE LIVER - REPORT OF A PHASE-II STUDY

Aims and Background: ocular melanoma tends to metastasize to the liver, sparing for a long time the rest of the organism. Therefore, a regional treatment is especially indicated. Methods: eight patients with ocular melanoma metastatic to the liver were treated with intra-arterial hepatic carboplatin-based chemotherapy at the dose of 300 mg/m2 once every two weeks at an out-patient clinic. All the patients were submitted to laparotomy with surgical implantation of an arterial port device through the gastroduodenal artery. Results: the overall response rate was 38% with a median survival time of 15 months. The regimen was well tolerated and the principle toxicity was myelosuppression; any instance of hepatic and/or cholangitic damage was reported. Conclusions: Carboplatin seems suitable for intra-arterial hepatic chemotherapy and active in ocular melanoma metastic to the liver.