Radiosensitivity and DNA repair in uveal melanoma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Analysis of DNA repair mechanisms in uveal melanoma patients treated with radiotherapy
IRAS ID
180479
Contact name
Sarah E Coupland
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 21 days
Research summary
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumour in adults with an annual incidence of approximately 5-6 individuals/million; i.e. around 600 new cases of UM are diagnosed in the UK annually. Approximately 250 of these cases are referred to and managed by the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, one of the three referral centres for adult ocular oncology in England.
Treatment of the primary tumour includes surgical resection, radiation therapy or primary enucleation. The majority of cases are treated with radiotherapy, either in the form of localised brachytherapy with ruthenium 106 plaque treatment, or with proton beam radiotherapy administered at the Clatterbridge Cyclotron Unit.
Success of radiotherapy from ruthenium plaque brachytherapy and proton beam radiotherapy for local tumour control is >90%; however, 8-10% of UM patients demonstrate continued tumour growth or recurrence at a later date despite the initial radiotherapy treatment. In some cases, particularly in those located at the ciliary body where tumour margins are more difficult to demonstrate, this may be due to inadequate treatment field (i.e. part of the tumour was missed). It is clear, however, that a proportion of these tumours demonstrate resistance to radiation treatment. Subsequent treatment options currently include further treatment with radiation or removal of the eye. The aim of this study therefore is:
1) to understand why, in some primary tumours, radiotherapy has failed to provide local tumour control
2) to identify predictive biomarkers of radiotherapy response in primary UM.REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0452
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion