Protocol Number: 03-C-0221
The purpose of this study is to determine whether chemotherapy delivered only to the liver, called isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP), followed by systemic (to the whole body) chemotherapy improves the ability to treat cancer. Study participants must be 18 years or older and have ocular melanoma that has spread to the liver. Before enrolling in the study, they will undergo the following evaluations: a physical exam; x-rays; blood tests; electrocardiogram; computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis; and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the liver. The study includes a 15-minute quality-of-life questionnaire. Participants will complete the questionnaire 7 times over a period of 2 years to help investigators gauge their health status and progress. A laparotomy is done, which allows a surgeon to view the tumor in the liver through a small incision in the abdomen while the patient is under general anesthesia. Sometimes the tumor can spread outside the liver in a way that cannot be seen by pre-operative scans. When this happens, the participant is ineligible to continue in the study, since an important part of the treatment is given only to the liver. If the laparotomy reveals that the participant is eligible for the remainder of the study, the participant will receive IHP treatment during the surgery. Plastic tubes called catheters are placed in the vein and artery that feed and drain the liver. This creates a separate blood supply for the liver alone. Heated chemotherapy is then given into the liver blood supply for one hour, while being carefully kept out of the rest of the body. After recovering from the surgery, eligible participants will receive a systemic chemotherapy called temozolomide for up to one year. This chemotherapy is taken by mouth in capsule form. Participants will be asked to return to NIH 10-11 times during the first year to evaluate their progress.
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