title: Matched group study of preenucleation radiotherapy versus enucleation alone for primary malignant melanoma of the choroid and ciliary body.
abstract: We report the results of a nonrandomized, matched group survival study comparing 29 patients with a choroidal or ciliary body melanoma managed by enucleation alone to 29 patients managed by enucleation following external beam ocular irradiation (20 Gy in five fractions over 5-7 days just prior to enucleation). Variables on which the patients in the two groups were matched included age at time of enucleation, largest linear tumor dimension, location of the anterior tumor margin relative to the equator and ora serrata, melanoma cell type, and extrascleral tumor extension. The cumulative 5-year survival in the enucleation alone group was 57.9% (SE = 9.9%), whereas that in the preenucleation radiation therapy group was 63.9% (SE = 12.2%). This difference is not statistically significant (p greater than 0.5, Mantel-Haenszel test). The authors discuss the strengths and limitations of their study and the implications of their results.
authors.affiliation: Wills Eye Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Augsburger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lauritzen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gamel
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D002924:Ciliary Body; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D015996:Survival Rate; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*