Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate efficacy and safety of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in a case of the subfoveal amelanotic choroidal melanoma. Methods: 57 years old man with subfoveal amelanotic choroidal melanoma on the right eye was referred to our oncology clinic. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was OD 4/16, OS 4/4, thickness of the tumor 2.7 mm on standardized ultrasound examination (US), retinal thickness at the fixation point (RTFP) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) was 475 µm, there were no signs of metastatic disease. PDT with verteporfin using standardized protocol was performed to treat the whole lesion of the tumor. BCVA, intraocular pressure, biomicroscopy, OCT were examined before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the therapy. Fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed before and one month after the therapy. US was performed before and one and 12 months after the therapy. Results: BCVA improved gradually to 4/4 six months after the therapy, tumor flattened to 0 mm on US one month after the therapy, RTFP on OCT decreased to 154 µm one month after the therapy and remained stable during the rest of the follow–up. The lesion was hypofluorescent on FA and ICGA one month after the therapy. Spherical equivalent decreased from 3.5 to final 0 dioptries one month after the therapy. No signs of metastatic disease were found 12 months after the therapy. Conclusions: PDT with verteporfin appears to be safe and effective method for treatment of subfoveal amelanotic choroidal melanoma. Longer follow–up is needed to confirm early positive results and to exclude recurrence of the tumor. Upon our knowledge this is the first report of the use of PDT with verteporfin in the treatment of subfoveal amelanotic choroidal melanoma.
Keywords: melanoma • photodynamic therapy • choroid