Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze local tumor control, radiation related complications, enucleation rate and survival in patients with uveal melanoma after 106Ru-brachytherapy during the period from October 1992 through December 2005.
Methods: :
A retrospective study was performed. 948 eyes with choroidal or ciliary body melanomas were treated with 106Ruthenium episcleral plaques. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox-Regression model were used for statistical analysis.
Results: :
The mean follow-up was 4.1 years (0.09-14.1 years). The mean tumor thickness was 5.1 mm ± 2.1 mm (min: 1.0 mm; max: 12.3 mm) at the time of treatment. The mean tumor base was 11.7 mm ±3.0 mm (min 2.7 mm, max 23.4 mm). 17.7% of eyes showed evidence of ciliary body infiltration and 3.9% had infiltration of the iris. 3.5% of eyes had extraocular growth. The local tumor control rates were 91.3% and 89.7% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The mean time of appearance of tumor recurrences was 2 years ± 1.6 year (min 4 months; max 7.9 years). The eye-preservation was 95.0% and 93.7% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The reason for secondary enucleation was tumor recurrence in 66.7% and radiation-related complications in 33.3%. The cumulative 5- and 10-year survival based on deaths from metastatic melanoma was 95% and 91%, respectively.
Conclusions: :
106Ru-Brachytherapy in the treatment of uveal melanoma is an effective method with a favorable local tumor control and eye preservation rate.
Keywords: tumors • melanoma • radiation therapy