Long-Term Follow-Up of Iodine-125 Brachytherapy for Choroidal Melanomas. Part I: Anatomical Results and Life Expectancy

Abstract

We report a prospective study of 19 choroidal melanomas treated with iodine-125 plaque from 1984 to 1989. The mean tumor height was 5.8 mm, base diameter 11.6 mm, and tumor volume 80 to 510 mm3. The mean radiation dose to tumor apex was 70 Gy and scleral contact dose 355 Gy; tumor base was surrounded by contiguous laser or cryopexy lesions. Follow-up was 27 to 84 months (mean 60 months). All tumors regressed at least 50% in volume with no tumor regrowth within 27 months to 60 months. Late tumor regrowth, localized in the center, occurred in one eye after 65 and another after 69 months. One tumor was successfully replaqued; the other was not re-treated because the patient had had a recent heart attack. In 17 eyes radiation retinopathy developed after 1½ years, the earliest in a diabetic eye. Despite primary recovery of preoperative vision, there was severe deterioration of visual acuity after 4½ years in all the eyes. During follow-up, two patients died due to metastases after 28 and 71 months; one patient is alive with metastases after 17 months. None of the eyes had to be enucleated. There was no incidence of madaurosis, Symblepharon, or dry eye.