125I episcleral plaque brachytherapy in the treatment of choroidal melanoma: A single-institution experience in Spain

Correa, Raquel; Pera, Joan; Gómez, Joaquín; Polo, Alfredo; Gutiérrez, Cristina; Caminal, Josep María; Modolell, Ignasi; Navarro, Valenti; Guedea, Ferrán

doi:10.1016/j.brachy.2009.03.189

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Volume 8, Issue 3 , Pages 290-296, July 2009

¹²⁵I episcleral plaque brachytherapy in the treatment of choroidal melanoma: A single-institution experience in Spain

Raquel Correa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain
- Corresponding author. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Campus Universitario de Teatinos s/n, 29010 Málaga. Spain. Tel.: +34-951032617; fax: +34-952279407.
Joan Pera
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
Joaquín Gómez
- Department of Radiation Oncology, CROASA Clinic, Málaga, Spain
Alfredo Polo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
Cristina Gutiérrez
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
Josep María Caminal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
Ignasi Modolell
- Department of Medical Physics, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
Valenti Navarro
- Clinical Research Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
Ferrán Guedea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain

Received 9 July 2008; received in revised form 15 March 2009; accepted 17 March 2009. published online 12 May 2009.

Abstract

Purpose

To analyze the results of episcleral plaque brachytherapy from the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Spain.

Materials and Methods

From September 1996 through December 2004, 120 patients with choroidal melanoma (median age, 59 years) were treated with iodine-125 seeds at our institution. Patients were classified according to the criteria developed by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) group, as follows—COMS-I: 3 patients; COMS-II: 87 patients; COMS-III: 24 patients; and indeterminate COMS: 9 patients. Followup ranged from 1 year to 8.4 years.

Results

Overall survival at 5 and 8 years was 83.9% and 73.3%, respectively. The 5- and 8-year specific survival rate was 85.7%. Local control was 88.2% and 72.7% at 5 and 8 years, respectively. The most common treatment-related toxicity was cataract formation (31.6% of cases), followed by radiation retinopathy (7.5%) and retinal detachment (4.1%).

Conclusion

The results of this institutional retrospective study confirm that the use of iodine-125 episcleral plaques to treat choroidal melanoma offers the potential for conserving a functioning eyeball. The toxicity profile is favorable and disease control is similar to other techniques.

Keywords: Choroidal melanoma, Brachytherapy, Episcleral plaque, COMS, ¹²⁵I