The results of the Collaborative Ocular Oncology Study Number 2 (COOG2) were published in the July 2024 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology and validated the prognostic accuracy of the integrated 15-GEP/PRAME biomarker tool for uveal melanoma, a form of eye cancer. Texas Retina’s Timothy Fuller, MD, served as a Principal Investigator for the trial, and Texas Retina was one of the largest recruiters for the study.
The Importance of Biopsy and Genetic Analysis in Treating Uveal Melanoma
Although rare, uveal melanoma (ocular melanoma) can be aggressive. It is a malignant tumor that can grow and spread to other parts of the body.
“That is why at the time of treatment, we typically complete a fine needle aspiration biopsy of the tumor and perform advanced genetic analysis to determine a customized follow-up metastatic screening protocol for each patient,” shares Dr. Timothy Fuller.
About the COOG2 Trial
Under the leadership of J. William Harbour, MD, the COOG2 trial is believed to be the largest prospective multicenter prognostic biomarker study performed to date in uveal melanoma, enrolling 1,577 patients across 26 ocular oncology centers in the United States and Canada, including 100 at Texas Retina. The key objective was to prospectively evaluate the 15-gene expression profile (15-GEP) and PRAME RNA expression status as an integrated prognostic tool.
“The results of the COOG2 study validated the superior accuracy of this sophisticated genetic analysis tool over other approaches,” explains Dr. Timothy Fuller. “We believe 15-GEP/PRAME should become the gold standard when caring for patients with uveal melanoma. It allows us to better determine a patient’s individual risk of the cancer spreading and tailor the best follow-up screening plan to mitigate that risk. High-risk patients require more extensive and frequent surveillance while those determined to be lower risk can extend the time between screenings, reducing the burden and stress. In addition, by identifying those at highest risk for metastasis we can potentially offer them enrollment in adjuvant clinical trials.”
Texas Retina’s Ongoing Commitment to Ocular Oncology Research
Texas Retina has been involved in ocular melanoma research for over four decades. Under Dr. Timothy Fuller’s leadership, Texas Retina is currently participating in the Phase III AU-011 clinical trial (CoMpass) for treatment of small choroidal (ocular) melanoma and previously participated in the Phase II trial where he was the first in the nation to treat a patient with AU-011 delivered via suprachoroidal injection.
Click here to learn more about all the clinical trials currently available at Texas Retina.