I first wrote about PV-10 (also known as Rose Bengal, a pretty cheap derivative of fluorescein, that has been
used for over 80 years to stain necrotic tissue in the cornea when corneal abrasions are suspected and as an
IV diagnostic of liver impairment) being used in melanoma patients in October of 2012. The study I reported on was one in which Stage 3-4 melanoma patients had up to 4 courses of PV-10 injections into up to 20 cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors. The cool thing was that not only did many of the injected tumors respond and shrivel, but some tumors at distant sites (even in the lungs) that were NOT injected, shriveled as well!!!
Results: Objective response was achieved in 51% of target lesions
(25% complete response and 26% partial response). Furthermore, disease
control (combined Complete, Partial, and Stable responses) was achieved
in 69% of lesions. In bystander lesions: 33% = objective response and
50% achieved disease control in these lesions.
Yeah, still sucky I know....but in melanoma world....
So...the folks at Moffitt must have thought the original study in mice and this data looked pretty good. See the report below.....
Single Injection of PV-10 Being Tested in the Treatment of Advanced Melanoma
By: Jo Cavallo via ASCO post, 8/28/2013
A new study underway at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, is investigating whether an intralesional injection of PV-10 (a substance derived from Rose Bengal, a staining agent that has been used to assess eye damage), is effective in reducing tumors and the spread of cancer in patients with melanoma. Early clinical trials show PV-10 can boost immune response in melanoma tumors and in the bloodstream.
"We are in the middle of our first human clinical trial of PV-10 for advanced melanoma patients. In addition to monitoring the response of injected melanoma tumors, we are also measuring the boost in the antitumor immune cells of patients after the injection," said Dr. Sarnaik.
Guess we'll have to see how the ratties do with this one. Hang in there. Call Moffitt for more information if this trial is of interest to you! - c
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More injections... :( Can they deliver this with another method?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so...at least not in this trial. The med itself can be administered a variety of ways, even IV. But what is supper cool about this procedure is that even when only one tumor close to the surface of the skin is injected...other distant tumors can perish!
ReplyDeleteThat's great then! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, the clincal trials show there are NO side effects the way there are in chemo. Tumor is injected, then you go home (outpatient).
ReplyDeleteThe next few days there is swelling and blistering of the tumor site (which is the 10% Rose Bengal solution saturating the walls of cancerous cells only - it does not attach or effect non cancerous cells - so it's a targeted therapy! - the cell wall takes in the dye and then starts to ablate).
In addition, non injected cancerous cells will benefit! It is called a bystander effect.
Best of all, it is providing an immuno response, boosting your t-cells, which has incredible results.
The dye only attacks cancerous cells, so it is "selectively toxic to cancer cells via chemoablation, and also to produce a bystander effect where it elicits an immune response causing spontaneous regression of nearby melanoma tumors."
Not only does it appear to be very safe, it also appears to be able to be used with other therapies as well because of its non intrusive nature.
I have been researching this for a few weeks.
Thanks, John. That's a good synopsis of what the data is showing thus far! Couldn't help wondering why you've been researching this therapy...?
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