title: Iodine-125 irradiation of choroidal melanoma: clinical experience from the Prince of Wales and Sydney Eye Hospitals.
abstract: We examined the records of 53 patients treated for choroidal melanoma between 1985 and 1989. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and short-term results of iodine-125 episcleral plaque therapy. There were 28 males and 25 females, aged 20 to 77 years (median 61 years), treated for single tumours with a median diameter of 9 mm (range 5 to 15 mm) and with a median thickness of 4 mm (range 2 to 10 mm). The plaques containing iodine-125 seeds were chosen according to tumour size: 10 mm (16 patients); 15 mm (36 patients); 20 mm (one patient). All patients are alive at last follow-up (median 1.3 years, range 4 months to 3.3 years). Four patients underwent enucleation for melanoma progression. Thirty patients have developed some type of complication (more than one complication occurred in the same eye in 12 patients): retinitis (19), optic neuropathy (7); cataract (4), rubeosis iridis (2). Overall, visual acuity deteriorated in 32 patients, remained stable in 12 patients and improved in 9 patients. Iodine-125 plaque therapy appears to offer patients good prospects of tumour control and preservation of useful vision.
authors.affiliation: University of New South Wales.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mameghan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karolis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mameghan
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Billson
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Giblin
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hunyor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes