The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial designed to compare the efficacy of enucleation versus irradiation in the treatment of eyes with choroidal malignant melanomas. Candidates for the study will be newly diagnosed cases with unilateral choroidal melanomas measuring between 3 mm and 8 mm in height and up to 16 mm in basal diameter, with no evidence of metastatic disease, and in patients 21 years of age or older. Informed consent will be obtained from all patients prior to randomization. The outcome of primary interest is death from all causes. Secondary outcomes will include death from cancer, whether metastatic or not, diagnosis of other tumors, and preservation of vision. Complications of irradiation and changes in visual acuity will be documented and carefully monitored throughout follow-up. Standardized clinical and data collection procedures will be employed, and standardized forms will be used in all centers. Central training and certification of all study staff will be required. Tumors larger than 8 mm in height or 16 mm in diameter will be entered into a separate substudy, comparing enucleation preceded by preoperative external irradiation versus enucleation alone. The study will be conducted in cooperating clinics located throughout the United States. It will be directed by an Executive Committee consisting of 12 to 15 study investigators and a Steering Committee to deal with day-to-day operational decisions. An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Committee will be responsible for assuring ethical conduct of the study and for reviewing the accumulating data on a regular basis for evidence of adverse or beneficial effects of therapy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01EY006848-03
Application #
3551952
Study Section
Vision Research and Training Committee (VSN)
Project Start
1986-08-01
Project End
1990-07-31
Budget Start
1988-08-01
Budget End
1989-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
071723621
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705