title: Phase 2 open-label study of weekly docosahexaenoic acid-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.
abstract: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-paclitaxel is a taxane with a unique pharmacokinetic profile. We investigated the safety and response rate of DHA-paclitaxel weekly in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Chemotherapy-naive and previously treated patients were eligible for this open-label phase II study. DHA-paclitaxel (500 mg/m²/week) was administered by a 1-hour intravenous infusion for five consecutive weeks in a 6-weeks cycle. Response was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors every 6 weeks. Twenty-two patients were enrolled. The patients' median age was 56 years (range: 33-79 years). Nine patients had a systemic therapy for metastatic disease earlier. The median number of treatment cycles was 1 (range 1-7 cycles). One chemonaive patient with liver metastases had partial response lasting for 5 months. Seven patients (32%) had stable disease with a median duration of 3 months (range: 3-7 months). The median overall survival was 9.8 months. Neutropenia (23%) and musculoskeletal pain (10%) were the most common grade 3 and grade 4 toxicities. As a single-agent therapy, DHA-paclitaxel is safe and well-tolerated in metastatic uveal melanoma patients. Its efficacy in this disease is limited with 32% of patients achieving stable disease. Further evaluation of DHA-paclitaxel in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents and/or targeted agents may improve its antitumor activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. jhomsi@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Homsi
authors.forename: Agop Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Bedikian
authors.forename: Nicholas E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Kevin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hwu
authors.forename: Sandy L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hwu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C528070:docosahexaenoyl-paclitaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel