Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. Despite successful control of the primary tumour, metastatic disease will develop in approximately 35%-50% of the patients within 10 years. The liver is the most common site for metastases, and about 50% of the patients will have isolated liver metastases. Isolated hepatic perfusion is a regional treatment where the liver is completely isolated from the systemic circulation, allowing a high concentration of chemotherapy to be perfused through the liver with minimal systemic exposure. The introduction of modern immunotherapy in the treatment arsenal for cutaneous melanoma also creates hope for patients with uveal melanoma metastases. However, the results of immunotherapy have so far been disappointing. The reason for the low efficacy could be that uveal melanoma develops in the immune privileged eye. The hypothesis in this trial is that isolated hepatic perfusion with melphalan causes an immunogenic type of cell death by local tumour destruction while leaving the immune-system intact. This will cause an activation of the immune-system and the addition of ipilimumab and nivolumab will enhance this effect, ultimately increasing the treatment efficacy. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of isolated hepatic perfusion together with ipilimumab and nivolumab when given at the same time or as a sequenced regimen. The study design is a phase I randomized controlled, multicentre, open-label trial. Active follow-up will be performed for 2 years. Patients will be randomized after diagnoses of metastatic disease to one of the following treatment arms: Arm A. Patients will be treated with IHP followed by 4 courses of ipilimumab 3mg/kg and nivolumab 1mg/kg every third week followed by continued nivolumab 480mg q4w up to 1 year. Arm B. Patients will be treated with 1 course of ipilimumab 3mg/kg and nivolumab 1mg/kg followed by IHP after 3 weeks and then another 3 courses of ipilimumab 3mg/kg and nivolumab 1mg/kg every third week followed by continued nivolumab 480mg q4w up to 1 year.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
18
The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia. The caval vein is isolated infrahepatically above the renal veins and suprahepatically between the diaphragm and the pericardium. A catheter is placed in the retrohepatic portion of the caval vein for perfusion outflow. The portal vein is clamped and the proper hepatic artery is cannulated via the gastroduodenal artery. The liver perfusion is performed at a rate of 8- 9 ml/kg/min with a target liver temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. The leakage from the system was continuously recorded using Technetium labelled albumin (Vasculosis) injected into the perfusion circuit. Melphalan (1 mg/kg bodyweight divided into two doses, given 30 minutes apart) is added to the perfusion system. The perfusion is then continued for 60 minutes, after which the perfusion was discontinued.
4 courses of ipilimumab 3mg/kg every third week
4 courses of nivolumab 1mg/kg every third week
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Gothenburg, Sweden
Incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)
Incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)
Time frame: 1 year
Objective response rate (ORR)
Evaluation of objective response rate (ORR)
Time frame: 2 years
Clinical benefit rate (CBR)
Evaluation of clinical benefit rate (CBR)
Time frame: 2 years
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Evaluation of progression-free survival (PFS)
Time frame: 2 years
Hepatic progression-free survival (hPFS)
Evaluation of hepatic progression-free survival (hPFS)
Time frame: 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Evaluation of overall survival (OS)
Time frame: 2 years
Time to response (TTR)
Evaluation of time to response (TTR)
Time frame: 2 years
Duration of response (DOR)
Evaluation of duration of response (DOR)
Time frame: 2 years
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