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Most choroidal melanomas controlled with proton beam radiation in study
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Proton beam radiation therapy prevent loss of the eye in a large percentage of patients with choroidal melanoma, according to a British study.
Bertil Damato, MD, PhD, FRCOphth, and colleagues at the Royal Liverpool Hospital in England studied 349 patients who underwent proton beam radiation therapy to determine visual acuity, local tumor control, ocular retention and overall survival results. The patients were enrolled in this study if they were deemed unsuitable for other forms of treatment because of the tumor size and location. In 75% of patients, the tumors extended to within 3 mm of the optic disc.
Of 346 patients who had at least counting fingers visual acuity at baseline, 79.1% retained that ability at the 5-year mark. At baseline, 212 patients had 20/40 vision, and 44.8% retained that level after 5 years. Overall survival rates were high as well, with 90% of patients avoiding metastasis.
The study is published in the August issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology-Biology-Physics.