The treatment of choroidal melanoma with 198 Au plaque brachytherapy.

BACKGROUND

Seventy-nine consecutive patients with primary choroidal melanoma were treated with 198 Au plaque brachytherapy at the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) between 1992 and 1998 with perioperative ultrasound to confirm plaque placement. Seventy-seven of the 79 patients were analyzable for this study.

RESULTS

Five year actuarial disease specific survival, enucleation free survival, and local control are 95, 94, and 98%, respectively. There were four melanoma related deaths, all secondary to liver metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

The BCCA experience in selected patients with choroidal melanomas treated with 198Au plaque brachytherapy has resulted in excellent survival and local control with minimal significant toxicity while preserving the globe. Our results using 198 Au seeds are comparable to other series using 125I, 60Co, and 106Ru at other centers.