Atorvastatin for Preventing Disease Metastasis in Patients With Resected High-Risk Stage IIA Melanoma
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2029-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This clinical trial tests whether atorvastatin prevents metastasis of resected high-risk
stage IIA melanoma.The vast majority of melanomas are diagnosed at an early, localized stage.
However, approximately 10-15% of these localized melanomas will eventually metastasize,
despite appropriate local treatment. Once metastasis occurs, median survival is less than two
years. Melanomas at high risk of metastasis can be identified by gene expression profiling.
Statin drugs, like atorvastatin, have been used to treat high cholesterol for the prevention
of major adverse cardiovascular events, but not for preventing melanoma metastasis. Statins
could prevent melanoma metastasis through decreasing tumor cell migration, decreasing tumor
cell adhesion, and increasing immune system response. Statins are also efficient inhibitors
of new lymphatic vessels formation. Since tumor lymphatic vessels serve as highways to lymph
nodes and may suppress immune system responses, statins may block a critical step towards
melanoma metastasis. Using atorvastatin may have the potential to prevent metastasis and
improve outcomes in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Collaborators:
Kuni Foundation Oregon Health and Science University