Quality of life after melphalan percutaneous hepatic perfusion for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma

Background: Recent studies indicate that melphalan percutaneous hepatic perfusion (M-PHP) for liver metastases from ocular melanoma (mUM) improves survival. Importantly, this benefit must be carefully balanced with changes in a patient's quality of life (QoL). This study examines the QoL changes post-M-PHP.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the change in QoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) with mUM patients receiving M-PHP ( n = 20). The FACT-G scores, which comprise physical (PWB), social (SWB), emotional (EWB) and functional (FWB) wellbeing were measured pre-procedure and at day 1, day of discharge (mean = 2.4 days), 7, 14 and 28 days after M-PHP therapy. Wilcoxon signed-rank test gauged QoL domain changes.

Results: Baseline FACT-G median (IQR) scores were 101.8 (21.8). QoL scoring significantly decreased immediately after the procedure [day 1; 85 (27.5); P = 0.002] and gradually improved over time. By day 28, QoL almost returned to pre-procedure levels [100.3 (13.8); P = 0.31]. Subscore analysis revealed that the initial drop in QoL at day 1 post-procedure was attributable to the PWB (28 vs. 24; P = 0.001) and FWB domains (26 vs. 18.5; P < 0.001). By day 28 there was a statistically significant improvement in EWB ( P = 0.01).

Conclusion: QoL following M-PHP decreases immediately after therapy and is not significantly different from baseline by the day of discharge. By day 28 there is improved emotional well-being. This study could help to optimize the time between treatment cycles when combined with toxicity data and blood count recovery.