title: Treatment of conjunctival lymphomas by beta-ray brachytherapy using a strontium-90-yttrium-90 applicator.
abstract: We reviewed the outcome of the 10 patients (13 eyes) with localized, biopsy-proven, low-grade lymphoma of the conjunctiva treated at our Department between 1988 and 1997. All patients were treated by beta-ray brachytherapy using a bidirectional 90Sr-90Y ophthalmic applicator (Applicator SIA 2, Amersham plc). Total doses, prescribed at the surface of the applicator, varied between 40 Gy and 80 Gy. With a median follow-up of 78 months (range: 14 to 146 months), seven patients remained with no evidence of relapse (67.5% 10 year disease free survival). Local control was achieved in 10 out of 13 eyes (76.9%). Two of the three local relapses were marginal. One of these three patients also developed a metachronous lymphoma in the contralateral conjunctiva. These three patients underwent a second course of brachytherapy with 90Sr/90Y and remained free of second relapse 109, 68 and 33 months after salvage therapy. No cases of systemic relapse were observed. Late (LENT-SOMA) complications were of grade 2 in five eyes, of grade 3 in one eye and of grade 4 in one eye. Late complications of grade 2 or higher were observed in one out of five patients (20%) treated with doses lower or equal to 50 Gy and in six out of eight patients (75%) treated with doses higher than 50 Gy (P=0.086). Our data indicates that beta-ray brachytherapy was ultimately able to control most conjunctival lymphomas but carried a risk of late complications and marginal relapses that was possibly higher than the rates reported for other radiotherapy techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Clínica Puerta de Hierro, San Martin de Porres, Madrid, Spain. med020115@nacom.es
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Regueiro
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Valcárcel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Torre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes