Uveal melanoma in young patients.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate the clinical profile of young patients with uveal melanoma treated in 1995-2002 in the Department of Ophthalmology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control series.


RESULTS
Out of 800 patients with uveal melanoma treated between 1995 and 2002, there were 11 patients (1.4%) aged 20 or younger. The mean age of those patients was 17.9 (12-20, median 19) years. There were five men (45%) and six women (55%). In all cases, the tumor was unilateral. In five (45%) cases the tumor affected the right eye and in six (55%) cases the left eye. Eight (72%) patients were treated with local resection. Among these, eight patients, in two (18%) with iris or ciliary body melanoma we used adjuvant Ru-106 episcleral plaque brachytherapy (EPB). In two (18%) cases of choroidal melanoma, we performed I-125 EPB: one case ended with regression of the tumor, while the second did not respond to EPB and we had to enucleate the eye. In one (9%) case we performed enucleation as the primary treatment. The mean follow-up was 61.4 months, ranging 30-125 months. All those patients are still alive and no metastases were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Uveal melanoma is a rare malignancy in children and teenagers. In the present series, it occurred in the iris in more than 50% of cases.
Pogrzebielski
Arkadiusz
A
Department of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, ul. Kopemika 38, 31-501 Krakow, Poland. arkadius@mp.pl
Orłowska-Heitzman
Jolanta
J
Romanowska-Dixon
Bozena
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001918:Brachytherapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy