Systemic and liver-directed therapies in metastatic uveal melanoma: state-of-the-art and novel perspectives

Future Oncol. 2021 Nov;17(33):4583-4606. doi: 10.2217/fon-2021-0318. Epub 2021 Aug 25.

Abstract

Metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) is the most common form of noncutaneous melanoma. It is different from its cutaneous counterpart and is characterized by a very poor prognosis. Despite groundbreaking improvements in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, there have been few advances in the treatment of MUM, and standard treatments for MUM have not been defined. We performed a systematic review focusing our attention on all interventional studies, ongoing or already published, concerning the treatment of MUM. We present results from studies of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and liver-directed therapies. Although the results in this setting have been disappointing until now, trials investigating novel immunotherapeutic strategies alone and in combination with targeted agents and liver-directed therapies are ongoing.

Keywords: chemotherapy; immTACs; immunotherapy; liver-directed; locoregional therapy; metastatic uveal melanoma; ocular melanoma; targeted therapy; tebentafusp; uveal melanoma.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / mortality
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Progression-Free Survival
  • Review Literature as Topic
  • Uveal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Uveal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Uveal Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Supplementary concepts

  • Uveal melanoma