Transpupillary thermotherapy as an adjunct to ruthenium plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma.
OBJECTIVE
To review the Swedish experience using transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) as an adjunct to ruthenium plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 27 patients receiving TTT for juxtapapillary or juxtafoveal growth present at the time of diagnosis, or recurrent growth at the tumour margin, or significant exudation following ruthenium brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma.


RESULTS
Follow-up ranged from 6 to 29 months (median=20 months). Tumour growth regressed completely (n=8), regressed partially (n=11), remain unchanged (n=6) or progressed (n=2). Complications included focal lens opacity with or without associated posterior synechiae (n=3), retinal haemorrhage (n=2) and retinal vein occlusion (n=1). Seventeen patients (63%) maintained or improved visual acuity and 2 eyes were enucleated following combined treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Many of the treated eyes would have been enucleated in the past, suggesting that TTT used in combination with ruthenium brachytherapy improves the short term globe salvage rate. Ocular side effects do occur but are usually not significant.
Seregard
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St. Erik's Eye Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. stefan.seregard@sankterik.se
Landau
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011680:Pupil; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012429:Ruthenium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D012429:Ruthenium Radioisotopes