Local tumor control and morbidity after one to three fractions of stereotactic external beam irradiation for uveal melanoma

Impact of tumour volume and treatment delay on the outcome after linear accelerator-based fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery of uveal melanoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Primary radiation therapy is used to treat malignant uveal melanoma (UM). We report our single-centre experience with fractionated radiosurgery (fSRS) with a linear accelerator (LINAC) after specific adaptation for small target volumes with HybridArc.

METHODS

From October 2014 to January 2020, 101 patients referred to Dessau City Hospital with unilateral UM underwent fSRS with 50 Gy given in five fractions on five consecutive days. Primary endpoints were local tumour control, globe preservation, metastasis and death. Potential prognostic features were analysed. Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards model and linear models were used for calculations.

RESULTS

The median baseline tumour diameter was 10.0 mm (range, 3.0-20.0 mm), median tumour thickness 5.0 mm (range, 0.9-15.5 mm) and median gross tumour volume (GTV) 0.4 cm³ (range, 0.2-2.6 cm³). After a median follow-up of 32.0 months (range, 2.5-76.0 months), 7 patients (6.9%) underwent enucleation: 4 (4.0%) due to local recurrence and 3 (3.0%) due to radiation toxicities, and 6 patients (5.9%) revealed tumour persistence with a GTV exceeding 1.0 cm³. Of 20 patients (19.8%) who died, 8 (7.9%) were tumour-related deaths. Twelve patients (11.9%) suffered from distant metastasis. GTV showed an impact on all endpoints, and treatment delay was associated with reduced odds of eye preservation.

CONCLUSION

LINAC-based fSRS with static conformal beams combined with dynamic conformal arcs and discrete intensity-modulated radiotherapy results in a high tumour control rate. The tumour volume is the most robust physical prognostic marker for local control and disease progression. Avoiding treatment delay improves outcomes.

Every other day stereotactic radiation therapy for the treatment of uveal melanoma decreases toxicity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To report the long-term results of stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (SRS/FSRT) in patients with uveal melanoma (UM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the results of patients treated between 2007 and 2019. The primary endpoints were local control (LC), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), enucleation-free survival (EFS) and treatment toxicity.

RESULTS

443 patients with 445 UMs were treated via CyberKnife®. According to the COMS classification, 70% of the tumors were small/medium and 30% were large. Median total RT dose was 54 Gy, median BED10 was 151 Gy. After a median 74-months follow-up, SRS/FSRT yielded an 83% overall LC rate. The 5- and 10-year LRFS rate was 74% and 56%, respectively. Patient age and the COMS size were prognostic for all survival endpoints. An increased SRS/FSRT dose was associated with higher LRFS and EFS rates. SRS/FSRT-related toxicity was observed in 49% of the eyes. Median visual acuity (VA) significantly deteriorated after SRS/FSRT in 76% of the treated eyes. The overall eye preservation rate was 62%, and the 5- and 10-year EFS rate was 64% and 36%, respectively. The delivery of FSRT every other day resulted in a significantly lower rate of toxicity and enucleation compared to FSRT on consecutive days.

CONCLUSION

A total dose of ≥45 Gy and BED_10Gy ≥ 112.5 SRS/FSRT is associated with a higher LC rate in patients with UM. Despite the favorable outcomes, treatment toxicity is the major limitation of this treatment. Toxicity and enucleation can be minimized by treating the eye every other day.

Orbital indications

GKNS for uveal melanoma has become a recognized valued treatment which avoids enucleation of the eye. In the early days, the eccentric location of these tumors made treatment difficult, but Gamma Knife Perfexion has solved that problem. It is known that larger tumors and tumors with an anterior location have a worse prognosis. GKNS has also been of rather unexpected benefit in optic nerve gliomas that require treatment. Choroidal hemangiomas may benefit from treatment as can secondary glaucoma. It has also been found to be beneficial in the treatment of thyrotoxic ophthalmopathy.

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for uveal melanoma: Long-term outcome and control rates

Purpose

The aim of our study is to evaluate local tumour control rates, radiation side‐effects, visual preservation and disease‐free survival (DFS) of uveal melanoma (UM) patients treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT).

Methods

A retrospective study of UM patients, who were treated with fSRT (N = 189), was performed by the Rotterdam Ocular Melanoma Study group (ROMS), the Netherlands, between 1999 and 2014 with a follow‐up of at least 5 years.

Results

The 1‐, 3‐, 5‐, 10‐ and 15‐year local tumour control rates were as follows: 99.4%, 92.8%, 92.2%, 89.3% and 89.3%, respectively. Cataract (67.8%) was the most common side‐effect of fSRT followed by retinopathy (35.1%), maculopathy (23.8%), vitreous haemorrhage (20.1%), neovascular glaucoma (NVG) (20.0%) and optic neuropathy (12.4%). Patients with anterior located UMs developed cataract more frequently (p = 0.047, multivariable analysis). By multivariable analysis, significant factors for secondary enucleation were tumour recurrence (p < 0.001) and NVG (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, risk factors for a worse DFS were larger UM (p = 0.024) and tumours with subretinal fluid (SRF) at baseline (p = 0.038). The 5‐year DFS was 77.0% and the best corrected visual acuity decreased significantly after treatment. After 5 years, 22.0% of patients and after 10 years 17.6% of patients had a visual acuity of ≤0.3 logMAR.

Conclusion

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is a good treatment option for small‐, medium‐ and large‐sized tumours with 5‐year local tumour control of 92.2%. After 5 years, 22.0% of the patients had a good vision. Independently of tumour location, the visual acuity decreased significantly after treatment. Overall, the 5‐year DFS was 77.0%.

Clinical outcomes and secondary glaucoma after gamma-knife radiosurgery and Ruthenium-106 brachytherapy for uveal melanoma: a single institution experience

We retrospectively analyzed data from records of 48 patients (48 eyes) treated with gamma-knife (n = 18) or Ruthenium-106 brachytherapy (n = 30) for uveal melanoma, in our Ocular Oncology Unit between December 2013 and September 2019, with the aim to evaluate treatment outcomes, and incidence and risk factors for secondary glaucoma. Patients demographics and tumor characteristics at diagnosis were recorded. Follow-up data were collected regarding local tumor control, treatment complications, enucleation need, metastases occurrence and survival status. The median follow-up period was 33.7 months in the gamma-knife group and 26.2 months in the brachytherapy group. The mean tumor thickness, the largest basal diameter and the tumor volume were significantly higher in the gamma-knife group than in the brachytherapy group. The local tumor control rate was 100% in the brachytherapy group and 77.8% in the gamma-knife group. In the gamma-knife group, six patients were enucleated, no patient treated with brachytherapy underwent enucleation. The overall survival rate was 96.7% in the brachytherapy group and 94.44% in the gamma-knife group. Secondary glaucoma occurred in 10 patients after gamma-knife and in one patient after brachytherapy: it should be emphasized that larger lesions were treated with gamma-knife, whereas smaller tumors were selected for brachytherapy. We found a significative correlation of tumor thickness (P value = 0.043) and volume (P value = 0.040) with secondary glaucoma occurrence after gamma-knife treatment. Moreover, secondary glaucoma significantly correlated with radiation retinopathy in the gamma-knife group (P value = 0.009). This study shows preliminary clinical results that could be useful for further studies with more patients and longer follow-up.

Local tumour control and radiation side effects for fractionated stereotactic photon beam radiotherapy compared to proton beam radiotherapy in uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

To compare the adverse side effects of fractionated stereotactic photon beam radiotherapy (fSRT) with proton beam radiotherapy (PBR) in patients with uveal melanoma (UM).

METHODS

A retrospective study investigating 306 UM patients treated with fSRT (N=153) by the Rotterdam Ocular Melanoma Study group (ROMS), The Netherlands, between 1999-2014 or with PBR (N=153) at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Bebington, United Kingdom, between 1993-2014. The tumours treated with fSRT were matched with tumours treated with PBR based on sex, left or right eye, TNM classification, posterior margin ≤ or > 3mm of the fovea and of the optic disc.

RESULTS

The five-year actuarial rates of tumour recurrence were 4.5% for fSRT and 6.1% for PBR. For fSRT and PBR, the five-year actuarial rates of maculopathy were 14.9% and 12.4%, and for vitreous haemorrhage were 29.4% and 4.7%, respectively. Only vitreous haemorrhage (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07-0.56) was more common after fSRT compared to PBR. Overall, larger tumours were risk factors for maculopathy and secondary enucleation.

CONCLUSIONS

Both treatments have excellent local tumour control. In matched groups, vitreous haemorrhage was the only adverse side effect showing a significant difference between groups.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for uveal melanomas and metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Gamma knife radiosurgery is regarded as the gold-standard stereotactic radiosurgery modality for the treatment of intracranial tumours, and its use has been expanded for the treatment of intraocular malignancies. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy, outcomes, and complications of gamma knife radiosurgery for uveal melanomas and metastases.

METHODS

We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to aggregate the clinical outcomes of patients with uveal melanomas or intraocular metastases treated primarily with gamma knife radiosurgery. We searched MEDLINE and Embase for studies published between Sept 1, 1960, and Feb 1, 2020, reporting the use of gamma knife radiosurgery as primary treatment for uveal melanoma or uveal metastases. The search was restricted to clinical studies and relevant grey literature published in English. Studies reporting treatment of benign tumours, extraocular tumours, or other forms of stereotactic radiosurgery were excluded to reduce heterogeneity. No restrictions were placed on participant criteria. Local tumour control and tumour regression were extracted as the primary outcomes and analysed via a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions using the DerSimonian and Laird method with a Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019148165.

FINDINGS

Our search returned 454 studies, of which 109 were assessed for full-text eligibility. 52 studies, reporting on 1010 patients with uveal melanoma and 34 intraocular metastases, were eligible for systematic review. 28 studies were included in the meta-analysis. 840 of 898 patients (0·96, 95% CI 0·94-0·97; I²=16%) from 19 studies had local control, and 378 of 478 patients (0·81, 0·70-0·90; I²=83%) from 16 studies experienced tumour regression.

INTERPRETATION

Gamma knife radiosurgery is an efficacious primary method of treating uveal melanomas and intraocular metastases, with reliable tumour control rates. Randomised controlled trials should further evaluate the safety and efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery in this setting.

FUNDING

The Rhodes Trust and the Howard Brain Sciences Foundation.

Therapy of uveal melanoma A Review

The aim of intraocular melanoma therapy is to achieve local tumor control, reduce the risk of metastasis development, preserve the eyeball and possibly the visual function of the eye. The choice of therapeutic approach requires a comprehensive view and individual approach to each patient with uveal melanoma. Factors considered include local finding (location, tumor size and shape, tumor activity, central visual acuity, intraocular complications), age and the patients overall physical and psychological condition, as well as the patients wishes. The most widely used method of uveal melanoma treatment is radiotherapy. The effect of radiation is caused by the absorption of ionizing radiation energy, the effect of radiation on the cell is manifested by cell death (depletion), or by a cytogenetic information change (mutation). Brachytherapy uses scleral applicators with radionuclide - ruthenium (Ru-106) applicators dominate in Europe and iodine (I-125) applicators in the USA. In external radiotherapy, the source of ionizing radiation is outside the patients body. Both stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy are used. In the Czech Republic, treatment is carried out using Leksell gamma knife or CyberKnife, while proton therapy dominates in the world. The development of serious radiation complications (radiation retinopathy, neuropathy, neovascular glaucoma, toxic tumor syndrome, etc.) should be considered. Surgical therapy involves a variety of invasive procedures. Iridectomy is performed for iris melanoma. Anteriorly located choroidal melanomas and / or ciliary body melanomas can be resolved by transscleral resection (exoresection). For posterior choroidal melanomas, a combination of external tumor irradiation with pars plana vitrectomy is used. Enucleation is a method of choice in advanced tumors that cannot be effectively irradiated. Orbital exenteration is indicated in advanced tumors with extrabulbar spread or in relapsed tumor after previous enucleation.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Uveal Melanoma: A Retrospective Review of Clinical Complications in a Tertiary Referral Center

Introduction

Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) has shown promising results in the treatment of intraocular uveal melanoma (UM) in terms of local tumor control. However, GKR is not free from potentially sight-threatening side effects, including cataract, dry eye disease, vitreous hemorrhage, radiation retinopathy (RR), radiation maculopathy (RM), optic neuropathy, and neovascular glaucoma. The aim of this paper is to report our 20-year experience in UM management with GKR focusing on the rate of clinical treatment-induced complications.

Methods

Single-center, retrospective, observational study, including all patients with UM treated at the Ocular Oncology and Uveitis Service, in the Department of Ophthalmology of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan from September 1993 to September 2018. Clinical charts comprised complete ophthalmological examination with measurement of best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, gonioscopy, and indirect ophthalmoscopy at each visit. B-scan ultrasound (Aviso S, 10 MHz probe; Paris, France), optical coherence tomography (Heidelberg Spectralis; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany), retinography, and fundus fluorescein angiography (standard or ultra-widefield [UWF; California, Optos, Dunfermline, Scotland, UK]) were performed aiding in the diagnosis of complications.

Results

Overall, 194 patients (100 males, 51.6%) were reviewed. The median age at the time of the treatment was 65 years (range 27-89) and all participants were Caucasian. In 185 eyes (95.4%), the tumor was primarily located at the choroid. The median follow-up was 57.6 months; radiation-induced complications were found in 145 eyes (74.7%). Radiation-induced cataract and RR were the most frequent events, with a relative incidence of 41.2 and 34.5%, respectively, followed by neovascular glaucoma (27.3%), optic neuropathy (18.6%), RM (11.4%), vitreous hemorrhage (14.4%), phthisis bulbi (7.7%), hyphema (0.5%), and corneal melting (0.5%). The shorter onset of side effects involved the optic nerve (median 14.9 months) and the macula (median 13.7 months).

Conclusion

Despite modern and advanced strategies introduced to limit GKR side effects, cataract and RR still represent a serious limitation of this treatment. Incidence of RR was higher in our cohort compared to other reports, probably due to increased diagnosis rate permitted by UWF retinal imaging.

3D WrapTM Ultra-Widefield Reconstruction in Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Choroidal Melanoma

Choroidal melanoma (CM) is the most commonly diagnosed primary intraocular malignancy in adults. Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) has demonstrated reliable results in the treatment of CM, but it is limited by the risk of radiation-induced ocular complications. To optimize the dose of radiation focused on the tumor, and limit side effects, the eye should be properly immobilized before treatment. A recently released ultra-widefield imaging instrument (Optomap California; Optos, Dunfermline, Scotland, UK) allows for an interactive three-dimensional (3D) virtual reconstruction of the globe, called 3D Wrap^TM. The authors share their experience with this rapid, reliable, and relatively easy support in planning globe positioning before GKR treatment.

Linear accelerator-based stereotactic fractionated photon radiotherapy as an eye-conserving treatment for uveal melanoma

Background

The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to analyze clinical outcome, visual acuity and enucleation rates after linear accelerator-based stereotactic fractionated photon radiotherapy for primary uveal melanoma.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with primary uveal melanoma treated at the Department of Radiation and Oncology of the University Hospital Heidelberg between 1991 and 2015 were analyzed regarding survival and treatment-related toxicity including eye- and sight-preservation.

Results

Photon radiotherapy (RT) offered good overall local control rates with a local progression-free survival (LPFS) of 82% after 5 years and a median LPFS of 5.5 years at a median follow-up time of 5.2 years. Gender had a significant impact on LPFS yielding a mean LPFS of 8.1 years for women and 8.7 years for men (p = 0.04). Of all local progressions, 80% occurred within the first 5 years after RT. In one case, enucleation as final therapy option was necessary. Enucleation-free survival (EFS) was related to the radiotherapy dose (p < 0.0001). Thus, higher prescribed doses led to a significantly higher enucleation rate. T-stage had no significant impact on EFS, but affected the enucleation rate (p = 0.01). The overall survival (OS) rate was 100% after 2 years and 70% after 5 years with a median OS of 5.75 years. Age (p = 0.046), T stage (p = 0.019), local control rate (p = 0.041) and the time between diagnosis and the first radiation session (p = 0.01) had a significant effect on OS. Applied biologically effective dose (BED) did not significantly influence OS or PFS. A 2-year sight preservation rate of 75% could be achieved. In all patients, irradiation could be applied safely without any interruptions due to side effects. Six significant late toxicities with consequential blindness could be observed, making a secondary enucleation necessary in four patients. An impairment of visual acuity due to chronic optic nerve atrophy was identified in five patients within 2 years after treatment.

Conclusions

Linear accelerator-based stereotactic fractionated photon radiotherapy is an effective method in the treatment of uveal melanoma with excellent local control rates and a 2-year vision retention rate comparable to brachytherapy (BRT) or proton beam radiotherapy, even available in small centers and easy to implement. Interdisciplinary decision making is necessary to guarantee best treatment for every patient.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery for locally recurrent choroidal melanoma following plaque radiotherapy

Background

For the majority of eyes with choroidal melanoma, radiation therapy is the treatment of choice. Local recurrence after radiation therapy can occur, however, and when it does, salvaging the globe with useful vision is atypical.

Case presentation

We report a case of late, local failure 7 years following previous brachytherapy successfully managed with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKR). With 3 years of follow up after GKR, the visual acuity is 20/20 and there is no evidence of systemic metastases.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful salvage GKR therapy after brachytherapy failure in an eye with choroidal melanoma. GKR is an option for select cases of local recurrence after radiation plaque brachytherapy.

Uveal Melanoma: A Review of the Literature

Melanomas affecting different components of the uvea occur with differing frequencies and clinical presentations. Uveal melanoma is diagnosed via funduscopic exam and ancillary tests. These lesions may present with visual findings or incidental findings on physical exam. Metastasis occurs in approximately half of all patients with primary uveal melanoma. The liver is the most common site of metastasis. Enucleation was at one time considered the definitive local treatment for primary uveal melanoma, but has been largely replaced by other therapeutic procedures that aim to prevent metastasis while preserving vision. Unfortunately, metastasis of uveal melanoma almost always proves to be fatal. The current treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma is limited by the intrinsic resistance of uveal melanoma to conventional systemic therapies. Advancements in molecular biology have resulted in the identification of a number of promising prognostic and therapeutic targets. Early detection and therapy are important factors in disease survival. It is imperative that the treating physician be familiar with the clinical features of uveal melanoma and distinguish it from mimickers in order to ensure effective and timely treatment.

A Case of Retinal Detachment with Unique Optical Coherence Tomography Findings after Gamma Knife® Radiosurgery Treatment for Choroidal Melanoma

Purpose

To report a case of retinal detachment with unique optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings after Gamma Knife® (GK; Elekta Instrument AB, Stockholm, Sweden) treatment for choroidal melanoma (CM).

Case Report

A 48-year-old woman underwent GK therapy for CM in her right eye from the macula to the temporal side. While the tumor subsequently shrank, the patient developed radiation retinopathy, which was treated with laser photocoagulation. The tumor lesions later subsided; however, her visual acuity (VA) decreased 8 years after the initial treatment. Although the tumor lesions in the right eye had become scarred, a bullous retinal detachment with fixed folds occurred in the superior-nasal quadrants. OCT examination revealed a preretinal membrane, vitreoretinal traction, and an inner retinal break; however, no outer retinal break was clearly detectable. MRI scans showed no increase in tumorous lesions, and ¹²³I-IMP SPECT imaging showed no photon accumulation. Thus, it was determined that there was no tumor activity. The corrected VA in her right eye was light perception, and it was determined that there was no indication for vitreous surgery.

Conclusion

In this case, an inner retinal break was formed by the vitreoretinal traction around the scarred tumor and radiation retinopathy, thus suggesting the possibility of the development of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment presumably complicated with an outer retinal break.

Feasibility of Image-Guided Robotic Radiotherapy using Three Fractions for Uveal Melanoma

Aims

A retrospective study was performed to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of 3-fraction image-guided robotic stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) for uveal melanoma.

Materials and Methods

Six patients with medium-sized or large tumors, who declined enucleation, were enrolled. The gross tumor volume (GTV) ranged from 454 to 2185 mm3. The total doses included 36 or 39 Gy in 3 fractions.

Results

Follow-up ranged from 19 to 40 months. In 5 patients, the tumor mass gradually underwent an average 24.5% size reduction. All 3 patients with a GTV <1000 mm3 had a functional eye, while 3 patients with a GTV ≥1000 mm3 did not have a functional eye. Radiation-induced complications occurred to some degree in all patients. However, complications that required enucleation were not detected.

Conclusion

We suggest that image-guided robotic radiotherapy using 3 fractions is a feasible and safe treatment option for patients with uveal melanoma. In cases of medium-sized and large tumors, fSRT could be used as an alternative treatment for cases ineligible for brachytherapy, but a longer follow-up and a larger number of patients are required to confirm the suitability of the method.

Incidence of secondary glaucoma after treatment of uveal melanoma with robotic radiosurgery versus brachytherapy

PURPOSE

Different modalities of radiation therapy nowadays allow for effective treatment of uveal melanoma combined with the advantage of eye preservation. However, this advantage can secondarily be impaired by radiation-related side effects. After local recurrence, secondary glaucoma (SG) has been described as second most frequent complication leading to need of enucleation. This study compares the incidence of SG after conventional Ruthenium (Ru)-106 brachytherapy (BT) versus CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery (RRS) which has been gaining importance lately as an efficient treatment option offering improved patient comfort.

METHODS

Medical records of all patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma in the Eye Clinic of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed. A total of 268 eyes of 268 patients treated with Ru-106 BT or CyberKnife-RRS as monotherapy were entered in this retrospective cohort study. Incidence of SG was correlated with treatment modality and baseline tumour characteristics.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients (19.8%) developed SG. At 5 years, SG was significantly more frequent after RRS (46.7%) than BT (11.1%); however, tumour thickness (maximum apical height) as a marker of tumour progress was more pronounced in the RRS group. Subgroup analysis of 178 patients for tumours amenable to both BT and RRS (thickness ≤6 mm) revealed comparable results at 3 years (RRS: 13.8 versus BT: 11.2%), but a trend towards increased incidence after RRS beyond year three. However, this difference was not significant at 5 years (28.2% versus 11.2%, p = 0.138). Tumour thickness was significantly associated with incidence of SG.

CONCLUSION

In tumours ≤6 mm thickness, RRS and BT seem to offer a comparable safety profile in terms of SG. Beyond year three, SG was tendentially, but not significantly more frequent after RRS. Increasing tumour thickness is associated with risk of SG.

Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Ocular Malignancies

BACKGROUND

Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) can be used for precise targeting of malignant lesions of the CNS when brachytherapy is not an appropriate option.

OBJECTIVES

This study reports treatment technique, efficacy, and radiation-induced adverse effects in patients with primary and metastatic ocular lesions treated with Leksell GKR.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-institution review was conducted of 28 patients with primary or metastatic ocular disease, treated from 2000 to 2014. The dose to margin was 17-27 Gy (maximum dose 28-54 Gy). Primary outcomes included overall survival (OS), local control, progression-free survival (PFS), and enucleation.

RESULTS

The median age at diagnosis was 70 years, and the median follow-up was 26.4 months. Of the 28 patients, 11 (39%) had metastatic ocular disease, and 17 (61%) were diagnosed with primary ocular melanoma (stage T2a-T4e). The average maximum dose and dose to margin were 41 and 21 Gy, respectively. The mean dose to the optic nerve was 12.6 Gy. The 5-year OS was 46% (95% CI: 23.6-68.4%) for the entire cohort; the 5-year PFS for M0 patients who presented with primary ocular melanoma lesions was 90% (95% CI: 71-100%). Only 1 patient required enucleation after radiation treatment.

CONCLUSION

GKR is an effective option, with acceptable levels of toxicity, in the treatment of primary and metastatic ocular lesions.

Die Geschichte der Ophthalmoonkologie an der Univ.-Augenklinik Graz

Einleitung

Der Beginn der organerhaltenden Therapie an der Univ.-Augenklinik datiert auf das Jahr 1985 mit der Einführung der Ruthenium 106 Applikatoren (Lommatzsch, Vormun) zurück.

Der Autor skizziert in zeitlicher Abfolge die Einführung und gemeinsame Entwicklung verschiedener Arten von organerhaltender Therapien und endet mit neuen Therapieansätzen des Retinoblastoms und des metastasierenden Aderhautmelanoms.

Methodik

Die Vorstände der Univ.-Augenklinik beginnend mit Hofmann (1964–1987) unterstützten den Paradigmenwechsel von einem radikalchirurgischen Konzept (Enukleation) bei intraokularen Tumoren zu einem organerhaltenden Konzept trotz Fehlens von großen Studien mit hoher Evidenz. Zuweisende FachärztInnen waren zu Recht im Zweifel über die Sinnhaftigkeit dieser neuen Therapiekonzepte, unterstützen jedoch mit ihren PatientInnen Zuweisungen den neuen Arbeitsschwerpunkt bzw. den organerhaltenden Therapieansatz bis zum heutigen Tag.

Ergebnisse

Aderhautmelanom: 1985 wurde die organerhaltende Therapie mittels Ruthenium 106 Applikatoren in Graz für kleine und mittelgroße Aderhautmelanome mit aequatorialler und anteriorer Lokalisation eingeführt, ab 1992 war die Gamma Knife Radiochirurgie alternativ zur Protonen- und Photonentherapie an der Univ. Klinik für Neurochirurgie in Graz verfügbar und wurde mit Beiträgen anderer Tumorzentren für die Behandlung von großen Aderhautmelanomen oder solchen mit posteriorer Lokalisation entwickelt.

Die transpupillare Thermotherapie (TTT) wurde 1995 in Leiden von Osterhuis und Journée-de Korver für die Behandlung von flachen posterior lokalisierten Melanomen im Tiermodell entwickelt. Die Therapie geriet auf Grund einer erhöhten Rate von Rezidiven in einzelnen Tumorzentren in Mißkredit und Vergessenheit, sollte jedoch auf Grund guter eigener Erfahrungen und der Einführung der TTT bei der Behandlung von Retinoblastomen in Hinblick auf Technik und Indikationen neuerlich evaluiert werden.

Endoresektion: Aderhautmelanome werden nach Vorbestrahlung wegen des großen Tumorvolumens bzw. einer persistierenden Amotio mittels Vitrektomie Techniken reserziert, als Bestrahlungstechnik wurde in Graz und in Essen das Gamma Knife verwendet.

Biopsien werden seit einigen Jahren für genetische und mikrobiologische Untersuchungen durchgeführt, neue mikrobiologische Erkenntnisse werden zur Entwicklung neuer systemischer Therapiekonzepte führen.

Retinoblastom: Im Gegensatz zum Aderhautmelanom erwies sich die adjuvante Chemotherapie beim Retinoblastom als hoch wirksam v. a. in der Volumsreduktion der Tumoren.

Die Brachytherapie mit Ruthenium 106 Schalen, die 3‑fach Kryotherapie bzw. die Lasertherapie werden bereits seit Jahrzehnten an der Univ.-Augenklinik als organerhaltende Lokaltherapien durchgeführt, seit kurzem komplettiert die TTT (mit oder ohne simultane Chemotherapie) das Spektrum der fokalen Therapien. Neue Therapiekonzepte wie die intrabulbäre Chemotherapie (bereits in Anwendung) sowie die intraarterielle Chemotherapie (steht kurz vor der Implementierung) sind bereits in Routine.

Seit 2003 werden erstmals Retinoblastome in einer Therapie Optimierungsstudie RBA2003 (die das Department für Hämato‑/Onkologie der Univ. Kinderklinik Graz zusammen mit der Univ.-Augenklinik entwickelt hat) in Graz behandelt. Das Univ. Klinikum Graz etabliert sich als Referenzzentrum für Retinoblastome und Pseudoretinoblastome in Österreich und dem umgebenden Ausland und erhielt Anfragen und PatientInnen Zuweisungen aus den Alpe Adria Ländern sowie Schweiz, Bulgarien, Tschechien, Rumänien, Ukraine und Rußland. Wedrich, derzeitiger Vorstand der Univ.-Augenklinik Graz, förderte die Entwicklung des Retinoblastom Kompetenz Zentrums in personeller, instrumenteller und logistischer Hinsicht.

2015 entwickelte das Klinikum Essen ein auf das Protokoll RBA2003 aufbauendes, erweitertes internationales Protokoll, nach dem nun PatientInnen aus Essen und Graz gemeinsam behandelt, evaluiert und nachkontrolliert werden. Dieses wiederum wird in einem EU-Antrag, initiert von Chandada (Buenos Aires, Barcelona) für eine einheitliche Behandlung des Retinoblastoms in Europa berücksichtigt.

2005 engagierte sich die Arbeitsgruppe erstmals in Mosambique, Afrika folgend einer Bitte der NGO, Licht für die Welt, die Rahmenbedingungen für die Etablierung eines Retinoblastomzentrums zu prüfen.

2008 wurde am LKH Univ. Klinikum Graz ein Forschungsfeld Onkologie etabliert, in weiterer Folge das Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) der MUG gegründet, in das die Ophthalmoonkologie thematisch eingegliedert ist.

Schlussfolgerung

Das vor 32 Jahren am LKH Univ.-Klinikum Graz etablierte Konzept der organerhaltenden Therapie erfuhr 13 Jahre später die Bestätigung durch die bislang größte multizentrische Studie (COMS Studie) in den USA, wonach kein Unterschied in Hinblick auf Überleben zwischen Enukleation und bulbuserhaltender Therapie mit Jod 125 Schalen bei kleinen und mittelgroßen Aderhautmelanomen gefunden wurde. Die seit über 30 Jahren unveränderte (z. T. sehr schlechte) Prognose kann möglicherweise in absehbarer Zeit durch neue Medika verbessert werden. Basis für diese erfreulichen Entwicklungen sind neue bahnbrechende Erkenntnisse aus der zytogenetischen und molekularbiologischen Forschung.

Dosimetric and radiobiologic comparison of 103Pd COMS plaque brachytherapy and Gamma Knife radiosurgery for choroidal melanoma

PURPOSE

Plaque brachytherapy (BT) and Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) are highly conformal treatment options for choroidal melanoma. This study objectively compares physical dose and biologically effective dose (BED) distributions for these two modalities.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Tumor and organ-at-risk (OAR) dose distributions from a CT-defined reference right eye were compared between ¹⁰³Pd COMS (Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study Group) plaques delivering 70 Gy (plaque heterogeneity corrected) over 120 h to the tumor apex and GKRS plans delivering 22 Gy to the 40% isodose line for a representative sample of clinically relevant choroidal melanoma locations and sizes. Tumor and OAR biologically effective dose-volume histograms were generated using consensus radiobiologic parameters and modality-specific BED equations.

RESULTS

Published institutional prescriptive practices generally lead to larger tumor and OAR physical doses from COMS BT vs. GKRS. Radiobiologic dose conversions, however, revealed variable BEDs. Medium and large tumors receive >1.3 times higher BEDs with COMS BT vs. GKRS. OAR BEDs have even greater dependence on tumor size, location, and treatment modality. For example, COMS BT maximum BEDs to the optic nerve are lower than from GKRS for large anterior and all posterior tumors but are higher for anterior small and medium tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

BT and GKRS for choroidal melanoma have different physical dose and BED distributions with potentially unique clinical consequences. Using published institutional prescriptive practices, neither modality is uniformly favored, although COMS BT delivers higher physical doses and BEDs to tumors. These results suggest that lowering the physical prescription dose for COMS BT to more closely match the BED of GKRS might maintain equivalent tumor control with less potential morbidity.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor. Radiation therapy has now replaced enucleation as the treatment of choice, with radioactive eye plaques and proton therapy being the two most studied radiotherapy modalities. More recently, stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy have emerged as promising, non-invasive treatments for uveal melanoma. This review summarizes the available literature on these newer treatment modalities.

Uveal Melanoma: Current Trends in Diagnosis and Management

Uveal melanoma, which is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, arises from melanocytes within the iris, ciliary body and choroid. The diagnosis is based principally on clinical examination of the tumor with biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy and confirmed by diagnostic techniques such as ultrasonography, fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. The clinical diagnosis of posterior uveal melanomas can be made when the classical appearance of a pigmented dome-shaped mass is detected on dilated fundus exam. Uveal melanomas classically show low to medium reflectivity on A-scan ultrasonography and on B-scan ultrasonography the tumor appears as a hyperechoic, acoustically hollow intraocular mass. Management of a suspicious pigmented lesion is determined by its risk factors of transforming into a choroidal melanoma, such as documentation of growth, thickness greater than 2 mm, presence of subretinal fluid, symptoms and orange pigment, margin within 3 mm of the optic disc, and absence of halo and drusen. Advances in the diagnosis and local and systemic treatment of uveal melanoma have caused a shift from enucleation to eye-conserving treatment modalities including transpupillary thermotherapy and radiotherapy over the past few decades. Prognosis can be most accurately predicted by genetic profiling of fine needle aspiration biopsy of the tumor before the treatment, and high-risk patients can now be identified for clinical trials that may lead to target-based therapies for metastatic disease and adjuvant therapy which aims to prevent metastatic disease.

Secondary Enucleations for Uveal Melanoma: A 7-Year Retrospective Analysis

PURPOSE

To describe the indications for secondary enucleations in uveal melanoma and analyze associations and outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective interventional case series.

METHODS

Data of patients who underwent secondary enucleation for uveal melanoma in the London Ocular Oncology Service, between 2008 and 2014, were retrieved from medical records analyzed. Cox regression model was performed to analyze associations with secondary enucleation and metastases and Kaplan-Meier estimates to assess the probability of metastatic spread and death.

RESULTS

During the study period 515 enucleations were performed for uveal melanoma, 99 (19%) of which were secondary enucleations. Tumors were located at the ciliary body in 21 eyes (21%), juxtapapillary in 31 (31%), and choroid elsewhere in 47 (48%). Primary treatment included Ru(106) plaque radiotherapy, proton beam radiotherapy, and transpupillary thermotherapy in 85, 11, and 3 eyes, respectively. Indications for secondary enucleation were tumor recurrence in 60 (61%), neovascular glaucoma in 21 (21%), and tumor nonresponse in 18 eyes (18%). Twenty patients (20%) were diagnosed with metastasis and 12 out of 20 died of metastatic spread. On multivariate analysis, juxtapapillary tumor location was found to associate with tumor nonresponse (P = .004) and nonresponding patients with metastatic spread (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Indications for secondary enucleations for uveal melanoma were tumor recurrence, neovascular glaucoma, and tumor nonresponse. This review identified a possible high-risk group (nonresponse), which proved radioresistant to treatment. These tumors were more frequently found in the juxtapapillary location and were associated with metastatic spread.

Preliminary results of contrast-enhanced sonography in the evaluation of the response of uveal melanoma to gamma-knife radiosurgery

PURPOSE

Our aim was to prospectively analyze the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the quantitative assessment of the response of uveal melanoma (UM) to gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKR), investigating whether changes in tumor vascularization precede thickness reduction, which on average occurs at 12 months after GKR.

METHODS

Ten patients with UM treated with GKR underwent sonography (US) and CEUS at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after GKR. The transverse diameter, thickness, and quantitative parameters of the UM (ie, area under the curve in the wash-in phase, wash-in perfusion index, peak enhancement, and wash-in rate) were calculated by using dedicated software and compared by using Wilcoxon's signed-rank test.

RESULTS

The mean tumor thickness on US was significantly less at both 6 (6.6 mm) and 12 months after GKR (5.8 mm) than it was at baseline (8.3 mm; p < 0.05, both comparisons). Compared with baseline data, the median flow quantitative parameters on CEUS were significantly changed as follows: the peak enhancement (in arbitrary units [au]) at baseline was 5 × 10(6) ; 6 months after GKR, it was 2 × 10(1) (p < 0.05), and 12 months after GKR, it was 4 × 10(1) (p < 0.05). The wash-in rate (in au) at baseline was 1 × 10(6) ; 6 months after GKR, it was 2.1 (p < 0.05), and 12 months after GKR, it was 9.3 (p < 0.05). The wash-in perfusion index (in au) at baseline was 2 × 10(7) ; 6 months after GKR, it was 7 × 10(1) (p < 0.05), and 12 months after GKR, it was 1 × 10(2) (p < 0.05). The area under the curve during the wash-in phase (in au) at baseline was 1 × 10(8) ; 12 months after GKR, it was reduced to 6 × 10(2) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

At 6 months after GKR, a reduction of tumor thickness, as detected on US, occurred in 6 of the 10 patients, whereas a reduction in all the quantitative parameters measured on CEUS occurred in all 10 patients. However, a larger population is needed to investigate whether CEUS could become the first-choice technique for monitoring the response of UM to GKR.

Risk factors associated with secondary enucleation after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate risk factors for secondary enucleation after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) in uveal melanoma.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, clinical data of 118 consecutive patients who had initially been treated with fSRT between 1999 and 2009 were collected and analysed. The patients who had undergone secondary enucleation were identified and examined for clinical, histopathological and cytogenetical (fluorescence in situ hybridization determined) data. Also, the reasons for secondary enucleation, such as treatment failure (progressive tumour growth or tumour recurrence) or complications following fSRT (painful blind eye), were recorded and examined.

RESULTS

The secondary enucleation rate was 16% after a median follow-up of 4.7 years, with 5% due to treatment failure and 11% due to complications. In the univariate analysis, large tumour diameter (p = 0.019) and large tumour height (p = 0.001) were associated with secondary enucleation, tumour involvement of the optic disc showed borderline significance (p = 0.068). Cox regression multivariate analysis displayed large tumour height as independent prognostic factor (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.81, p = 0.004). Following secondary enucleation, mitotic figures were present in five of 18 tumours, and gain of chromosome 8q was also present in five tumours. Within the subgroup of patients who required secondary enucleation due to failed tumour control by fSRT (N = 6), mitotic figures were present in four of six tumours while gain of 8q was present in three of six tumours.

CONCLUSION

Secondary enucleation after previous fSRT was associated with large tumour height. High mitotic counts and gain of chromosome 8q were frequently found in secondary enucleations and possibly indicate a more aggressive or radiation-resistant tumour.

Radiosurgery in the treatment of malignant brain tumors

Brain metastases are an attractive target for radiosurgery. Over a period of 6 years, 400 patients with brain metastases have been treated with radiosurgery. Of these patients, 61% had solitary brain metastases and 39% had multiple brain metastases. Local control was achieved in 90% and improvement of severe neurological symptoms in 76%. The median survival time was 8 months. The significant prognostic factors for survival in patients with solitary brain metastases were age, Karnofsky performance status, severity of symptoms, extent of progressive malignant disease outside the brain, histology, interval between diagnosis of primary tumor and brain metastasis, and minimum applied dosage. The significant prognostic factors in patients with multiple brain metastases were sex, Karnofsky performance status and presence of progressive disease outside the brain.

Local treatment failure after globe-conserving therapy for choroidal melanoma

Local treatment failure after globe-conserving therapy for choroidal melanoma is a surgical complication with significant morbidity to the vision and eye. Few reports in the literature have addressed this complication exclusively. A review of the published literature with reference to local treatment failure in the management of choroidal melanoma was performed to make known the potential differences in failure rates between treatment modalities and methods. A search of the literature regarding local treatment failure was performed to identify relevant studies using combinations of the following keywords on PubMed: uveal melanoma, choroidal melanoma, local recurrence, local failure, endoresection, gamma knife, radiotherapy, helium, iodine, proton, palladium, ruthenium, trans-scleral resection, transpupillary thermotherapy. Further studies were found by searching the text and references of previously identified studies for articles reporting local treatment failure rates in choroidal melanoma. Among the 49 studies identified, the local treatment failure rate ranged from 0% to 55.6%, with follow-up ranging from 10 to 150 months. The two most widely used forms of radiation therapy, iodine-125 and ruthenium-106 brachytherapy, were both associated with a local recurrence rate of 9.6%. The weighted-average of treatment failure in all radiation therapies was 6.15% compared with 18.6% in surgical and 20.8% in laser therapies. Rates of local treatment failure for globe-conserving therapy of choroidal melanoma varied widely between modalities and between centres using similar modalities. Radiation therapy overall resulted in lower local treatment failures compared with surgical or transpupillary thermotherapy.

Clinicopathological correlation for the role of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography in detection of choroidal malignant melanoma

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to redefine the role of whole-body 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography fused with computed tomography (PET/CT) in the clinical diagnosis of choroidal malignant melanoma.

METHODS

The study design was a retrospective case series involving 7 consecutive patients with choroidal malignant melanoma who underwent enucleation to reach the final pathological diagnosis. FDG-PET/CT was performed together with magnetic resonance imaging and ophthalmological examinations before the surgery. The area, thickness, longest diameter, and circumference of the tumor mass were measured on pathological sections, and were correlated with maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the tumors on FDG-PET/CT.

RESULTS

Abnormally high uptake of FDG was noted in the affected eyes of 5 patients, but not in the eyes of 2 patients. The 5 patients with high uptake showed nodular tumors extruding into the vitreous cavity while the 2 patients with absence of uptake showed diffusely infiltrating tumors in the wide area of the choroid with or without a small mushroom-like protrusion. One patient with diffuse infiltration showed concurrent liver metastases with high uptake on PET/CT while another patient with a nodular tumor developed liver metastases a year later. The tumors with higher SUVmax had a tendency to have a wider area and greater thickness on pathological sections (ρ = 0.775, P = 0.0557, Spearman rank correlation test).

CONCLUSIONS

FDG-PET/CT showed correlation of the uptake with tumor sizes but was limited in detecting diffusely infiltrating tumors in the choroid without nodular formation.

One-day session LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery of posterior uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) of posterior uveal melanoma is a conservative method to treat uveal melanoma.

METHODS

This was a retrospective clinic-based study of patients with posterior uveal melanoma in stage T2/T3 who underwent 1-day session SRS at LINAC accelerator or SRS plus combined methods from 2001 to 2008.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients with posterior uveal melanoma were treated with SRS (age 25-80 years, median 54 years). Median tumor volume at baseline was 0.6 cm3 (range 0.2-1.3 cm3). The therapeutic dose (TD) was 35.0 Gy, median of maximal dose applied was 49.0 Gy (range 37.0-60.0 Gy). Patient data were analyzed in groups: group 1, single SRS irradiation; group 2, SRS with subsequent endoresection or cyclectomy or additional transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) or brachytherapy by Ru106 plaques; group 3a, enucleation after single SRS; group 3b, enucleation after SRS and endoresection/cyclectomy or TTT or brachytherapy Ru106. In patients with visual acuity of 20/40 or better, the median rate of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) decline was higher than that of the total and significantly higher than the rate of decline in the complementary group of patients with BCVA less than 20/40 (p=0.0077; Mann-Whitney U test).

CONCLUSIONS

One-step LINAC-based SRS with a single dose 35.0 Gy is a method to treat middle-stage posterior uveal melanoma and to preserve the eye globe or as the first step of combined methods: irradiation before endoresection or cyclectomy.

Management of radiation-induced severe anophthalmic socket contracture in patients with uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

High-dose radiotherapy can cause contracture of the anophthalmic socket, but the incidence of this complication in patients with enucleation for uveal melanoma has not been reported previously. The authors reviewed the surgical management and outcomes in terms of successful prosthesis wear in patients with severe contracture of the anophthalmic socket treated with high-dose radiotherapy for high-risk uveal melanoma, and they estimated the relative risk of this complication.

METHODS

The medical records of all consecutive patients enrolled in a prospective uveal-melanoma tissue-banking protocol at the authors' institution who underwent enucleation between January 2003 and December 2010 were reviewed. Patients who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy of the enucleated socket were further studied.

RESULTS

Of the 68 patients enrolled in the prospective tissue-banking protocol, 12 had high-risk histologic features (e.g., extrascleral spread or vortex vein invasion) and were treated with 60 Gy of external beam radiotherapy after enucleation. Five of these patients (41.7%) experienced severe socket contracture precluding prosthesis wear. The median time to onset of contracture following completion of radiotherapy was 20 months. Three patients underwent surgery, which entailed scar tissue release, oral mucous membrane grafting, and socket reconstruction; 2 patients declined surgery. All 3 patients who had surgery experienced significant improvement of socket contracture that enabled patients to wear a prosthesis again.

CONCLUSION

High-dose radiotherapy after enucleation in patients with uveal melanoma caused severe socket contracture and inability to wear a prosthesis in approximately 40% of patients. Surgical repair of the contracted socket using oral mucous membrane grafting can allow resumption of prosthesis wear.

Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery yields good long-term outcomes for low-volume uveal melanomas without intraocular complications

We present the outcomes of 35 uveal melanoma patients treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery. All cases were previously untreated. During follow-up, regular MRI examinations were used to detect any changes in tumor size and estimate the local long-term tumor control rate. Treatment-related complications were also recorded. During follow-up, systemic dissemination was observed in two patients, one of whom died of metastases. The most frequent complication was retinal detachment (17.1%). Three patients required enucleation. Cumulative 1-year and 3-year local tumor growth control rates were 97% and 83%, respectively. The mean and median times to local tumor progression were 48.0 and 51.7 months, respectively. Gamma knife surgery may be a suitable alternative for the treatment of low-volume uveal tumors without intraocular complications, as the control rate and long-term outcomes compare favorably with those of surgical excision and brachytherapy.

Development of a streamlined, non-invasive robotic radiosurgery method for treatment of uveal melanoma

To analyze the feasibility and safety of frameless, image-guided robotic radiosurgery against uveal melanoma, we developed a streamlined procedure that is completed within 3 hours under retrobulbar anesthesia without immobilization. Twenty patients (10 men and 10 women) with medium (3-5-mm prominence) and large (>5-mm prominence) unilateral uveal melanomas were treated with a frameless robotic radiosurgery system. Median age was 61 years (range 32-78 years). All patients underwent a single-session procedure beginning with retrobulbar anaesthesia, followed by computerized tomography (CT) scanning that was used in the generation of a treatment plan, and then the delivery of a radiosurgical tumor dose between 18 and 22 Gy to the 70% isodose line. Three-dimensional treatment planning was aimed at securing the optical lens and the optic disc as much as possible. Follow-up occurred at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after the radiosurgery with clinical, ultrasound, and CT studies. We were able to treat all patients in the frameless setup within 3 hours. In five patients with lateral and dorsal tumors, the dose to the optic lens could be kept below 2 Gy. The clinical response was evaluated for the first seven patients treated with a follow-up of at least 6 months. No local recurrences occurred with any of the clinically evaluated patients for a mean 13-month follow-up (range 6-22 months). Maximum median apical tumor height according to standardized A-scan ultrasound evaluations decreased from 7.7 to 5.6 mm (p < 0.1). The median reflectivity increased from 41% to 70% (p < 0.01). None of the patients developed a secondary glaucoma during the short-term follow-up period. Frameless, single-session, image-guided robotic radiosurgery is a feasible, safe and comfortable treatment option for patients with uveal melanoma. Longer follow-up and analysis of a larger patient series is required for definitive clinical recommendations.

Stereotactic radiotherapy for ocular melanoma: initial experience using closed eyes for ocular target immobilization

To assess the reliability and target positioning reproducibility with eyes closed in uveal melanoma patients treated with a micromultileaf-based linear accelerator dedicated for stereotactic radiotherapy. Five consecutive patients treated with curative radiotherapy for uveal melanoma were monitored for positioning reproducibility with resimulation CT scans performed every two days while on treatment (23 resimulation CTs available). All patients underwent MRIs of the orbits before simulation to help to define the target and organs at risk (e.g., lenses, optic nerves, ciliary bodies, and lacrimal glands) in the simulation CT (MRI-to-CT bone registration). Patients were simulated, resimulated, and treated with eyes closed. Patient #1 was treated with 5 daily fractions while patients #2 to #5, were treated with 10 daily fractions. We chose the lens of the tumor-bearing eye as the structure to be controlled, assuming that correct repositioning of the lens should be a valid surrogate for correctness of target repositioning. Displacements (mean and standard deviations, SD) of the lens in the three axes were measured for each patient. Systematic and standard errors were calculated. Planning target volume (PTV) margins were estimated according to McKenzie et al. [Phys Med Biol 45, 3331-3342 (2000)]. For both AP-PA and left-right shifts calculated SD were always below 1 mm, except for patient #4, who was treated with a non-customized bolus that pushed the globe backwards in a random fashion. In ideal set-up conditions PTV margins around the target were estimated to be 3 mm. Asking patients to close their eyes is a simple and reliable immobilization procedure when treating ocular tumors with stereotactic radiotherapy. Margins of 3 mm around the target may be necessary to safely treat these tumors under ideal set-up conditions.

Peripheral dose in ocular treatments with CyberKnife and Gamma Knife radiosurgery compared to proton radiotherapy

Peripheral radiation can have deleterious effects on normal tissues throughout the body, including secondary cancer induction and cataractogenesis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the peripheral dose received by various regions of the body after ocular treatment delivered with the Model C Gamma Knife, proton radiotherapy with a dedicated ocular beam employing no passive-scattering system, or a CyberKnife unit before and after supplemental shielding was introduced. TLDs were used for stray gamma and x-ray dosimetry, whereas CR-39 dosimeters were used to measure neutron contamination in the proton experiments. Doses to the contralateral eye, neck, thorax and abdomen were measured on our anthropomorphic phantom for a 56 Gy treatment to a 588 mm(3) posterior ocular lesion. Gamma Knife (without collimator blocking) delivered the highest dose in the contralateral eye, with 402-2380 mSv, as compared with 118-234 mSv for CyberKnife pre-shielding, 46-255 mSv for CyberKnife post-shielding and 9-12 mSv for proton radiotherapy. Gamma Knife and post-shielding CyberKnife delivered comparable doses proximal to the treatment site, with 190 versus 196 mSv at the thyroid, whereas protons doses at these locations were less than 10 mSv. Gamma Knife doses decreased dramatically with distance from the treatment site, delivering only 13 mSv at the lower pelvis, comparable to the proton result of 4 to 7 mSv in this region. In contrast, CyberKnife delivered between 117 and 132 mSv to the lower pelvis. In conclusion, for ocular melanoma treatments, a proton beam employing no double scattering system delivers the lowest peripheral doses proximally to the contralateral eye and thyroid when compared to radiosurgery with the Model C Gamma Knife or CyberKnife. At distal locations in the pelvis, peripheral doses delivered with proton and Gamma Knife are of an order of magnitude smaller than those delivered with CyberKnife.

A systematic literature review of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of hadron therapy in cancer

BACKGROUND

In view of the continued increase in the number of hadron (i.e. neutron, proton and light or heavy ion) therapy (HT) centres we performed a systematic literature review to identify reports of the efficacy of HT.

METHODS

Eleven databases were searched systematically. No limit was applied to language or study design. Established experts were contacted for unpublished data. Data on outcomes were extracted and summarised in tabular form.

RESULTS

Seven hundred and seventy three papers were identified. For proton and heavy ion therapy, the number of RCTs was too small to draw firm conclusions. Based on prospective and retrospective studies, proton irradiation emerges as the treatment of choice for some ocular and skull base tumours. For prostate cancer, the results were comparable with those from the best photon therapy series. Heavy ion therapy is still in an experimental phase.

CONCLUSION

Existing data do not suggest that the rapid expansion of HT as a major treatment modality would be appropriate. Further research into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of HT is needed. The formation of a European Hadron Therapy Register would offer a straightforward way of accelerating the rate at which we obtain high-quality evidence that could be used in assessing the role of HT in the management of cancer.

Gamma-knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery for uveal melanoma

Nineteen patients with uveal melanoma were treated with Gamma-Knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The radiation dose was 40 Gy prescribed to the 50% isodose line for all patients. The median follow-up was 40 months. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 86 and 55%, respectively. The 3- and 5-year tumor control rates were both 94%. Six of the 19 treated patients (32%) developed distant metastasis 31-75 months after SRS. Out of the 19 patients treated with SRS, 2 had improved, 4 had stable and 13 had worse vision in the treated eye. Gamma-Knife-based SRS appears to provide excellent local control of uveal melanoma. The risk of distant metastasis is significant. Effective systemic therapy is to be explored to improve the treatment outcome of uveal melanoma.

Madarosis

Madarosis may be a presenting feature of a number of vision and life-threatening conditions, including herpes zoster, leprosy, HIV/AIDS, trachoma, malignant eyelid tumors, discoid lupus, scleroderma, and hypothyroidism. It may occur via two broad pathogenic pathways: scarring and non-scarring, which indicates the potential for lash re-growth. Madarosis may occur as an isolated finding or together with loss of other body and scalp hair. The etiology of madarosis can be further divided into dermatological, infection, endocrine, neoplastic, drug-related, congenital, and trauma. This report includes salient points in the clinical history and examination of patients with madarosis, with an emphasis on excluding or diagnosing visual or life threatening disorders associated with madarosis.

Effectiveness of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

To study the effectiveness and acute side effects of fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (fSRT) for uveal melanoma.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Between 1999 and 2003, 38 patients (21 male, 17 female) were included in a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial (mean follow-up of 25 months). A total dose of 50 Gy was given in 5 consecutive days. A blinking light and a camera (to monitor the position of the diseased eye) were fixed to a noninvasive relocatable stereotactic frame. Primary end points were local control, best corrected visual acuity, and toxicity at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively.

RESULTS

After 3 months (38 patients), the local control was 100%; after 12 months (32 patients) and 24 months (15 patients), no recurrences were seen. The best corrected visual acuity declined from a mean of 0.21 at diagnosis to 0.06 2 years after therapy. The acute side effects after 3 months were as follows: conjunctival symptoms (10), loss of lashes or hair (6), visual symptoms (5), fatigue (5), dry eye (1), cataract (1), and pain (4). One eye was enucleated at 2 months after fSRT.

CONCLUSIONS

Preliminary results demonstrate that fSRT is an effective and safe treatment modality for uveal melanoma with an excellent local control and mild acute side effects. The follow-up should be prolonged to study both long-term local control and late toxicity.