Vision Loss Following Episcleral Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanoma: Development of a Vision Prognostication Tool.
Vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy for uveal melanoma is difficult to predict for individual patients.



To generate a risk calculator for vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy for uveal melanoma.



A retrospective review of data was conducted at a multispecialty tertiary care center in Cleveland, Ohio. All patients with primary ciliary body or choroidal melanoma treated with iodine 125 or ruthenium 106 episcleral brachytherapy between January 1, 2004, and December 30, 2013, were included. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards were used to determine the influence of baseline patient factors on vision loss. Kaplan-Meier curves (log-rank analyses) were used to estimate freedom from vision loss. Bootstrap resampling was performed to bias correct this estimate.



Vision loss (to visual acuity [VA] worse than 20/50 and worse than 20/200).



A total of 311 patients were included in the study, with a mean (SD) age of 62 (14.7) years at start of treatment and a median follow-up of 36 months (interquartile range, 18-60 months). At presentation, VA was better than or equal to 20/50 in 199 patients (64%) and better than or equal to 20/200 in 289 patients (93%). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, VA less than 20/200 at 3 years was not associated with sex, diabetes, systemic hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia but was associated with history of ocular comorbidities, type of isotope (ruthenium 106 or iodine 125), and initial VA ( >20/50 or <20/50). By multivariable analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-1.00; P = .06), largest basal diameter (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.16-1.34; P = <.001), total radiation dose to the fovea (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P = .001) and optic disc (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P = .005), and initial VA worse than 20/50 (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.20-2.85; P = .005) were predictive of vision loss to a VA of less than 20/200. The concordance index for the full data set was 0.77. Using these data, an online risk calculator was developed to predict vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy.



The vision prognostication tool presented herein needs to be validated by independent data sets. This tool may improve counseling for patients being evaluated for episcleral brachytherapy. At-risk individuals identified by this tool could be considered for inclusion into trials exploring prevention or treatment of radiation retinopathy and alternative therapies of uveal melanoma.
Department of Ophthalmic Oncology, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Hassan A
HA
Aziz
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.
Nakul
N
Singh
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
James
J
Bena
Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Allan
A
Wilkinson
Department of Ophthalmic Oncology, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Arun D
AD
Singh
D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012429:Ruthenium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012590:Sclera / Q000528:radiation effects; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000098943:Uveal Melanoma
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D012429:Ruthenium Radioisotopes