The treatment of choroidal melanoma with 198Au plaque brachytherapy

Background: Seventy-nine consecutive patients with primary choroidal melanoma were treated with Au-198 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 Au-198 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 I-125, Co-60, and Ru-106 at other centers. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.