Rostas JW, et al. – Authors here determined the quality of life (QoL) impact of drug–eluting beads loaded with doxorubicin (DEBDOX) for the treatment of unresectable hepatic metastases from melanoma. Hepatic arterial therapy with DEBDOX proved safe with minimal QOL changes in treating unresectable liver–dominant melanoma metastasis.

Methods

• Authors reviewed a multi–center, prospective, non–controlled clinical trial.
• They assessed QoL at baseline and after each treatment; doxorubicin–specific effects were assessed after each treatment.

Results

• In this study, twenty patients were provided 61 DEBDOX treatments.
• After each treatment, at least 83% of patients reported “little” to “none” doxorubicin–related symptoms.
• For the 8 FACT–Hep subscales, QoL scores were unchanged through 3 treatments for 18 of 24 total time points by ANOVA, with a small–to–moderate ES change through the last treatment in 36 of 40 time points.